Final Fantasy -- Revelations
by Aynslesa
Summary: Two seperate teams. Two seperate battles. Two seperate times. One amazing connection... (A VII/VIII Crossover) Reformatted and revised.
1. Another Day. Another Peaceful Day...

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter One: Another Day. Another Peaceful Day…**

"_And it's another bee-yoo-tee-ful day in Balamb! The skies are clear and the water's calm, so hop onto your boat and get over to Fisherman's Horizon for a fun-filled afternoon of fishing! And don't forget that today is the day of our annual –" A hand reached over from the bed and slammed down on top of the alarm clock. _

"Shut up," mumbled the owner of the bed as he turned over and tried to go back to sleep. Unfortunately, there was a reason why his alarm had been set for six o' clock in the morning. 

"Rise and Shine, cadets!" Xu's voice called over the intercom. "Don't think you can slack off just because it's the weekend. Those of you who volunteered to work on the Garden Festival, please report to the Quad by seven. Those of you planning on taking the SeeD Written Exam next week, report to Classroom B for a review. Zell Dincht, you have twelve overdue library books. Squall Leonheart, your girlfriend's looking for you. Get your ass out of bed and to the Cafeteria, _now!" _

The figure in the bed groaned as he sat up. "Another fun-filled day at Balamb Garden," Squall Leonheart muttered as he ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to get it going in the right direction. "Why me?"

It wasn't that he didn't want to go talk to his girlfriend of one year, Rinoa Heartilly, It was just that he hadn't gone to bed until one, and had planned on getting some extra sleep. He didn't have a training class to take, or a gunblade lesson scheduled for some of the younger students. The headmaster had actually given him the day off. Of course, he'd given his friends the day off, too. Which meant they could now interrupt his sleep.

Someone pounded on the door. "Hey, Squall, if you want the bathroom you better get in there before all the hot water's gone!" Irvine Kinneas shouted from the other side. 

"Whatever," Squall muttered as he grabbed his uniform and opened the door, narrowly missing getting his head smacked by Irvine's fist. "Thanks."

"You don't look awake," the cowboy said as he followed behind Squall. "Hey, did you hear that announcement about Zell? Poor guy must be mortified. Wonder why he's got so many overdue books?"

"He's been avoiding the library lately," Squall replied as they walked into the bathroom, where several other guys were getting ready for the day. Both Irvine and Squall were in complete agreement that sharing a bathroom with the entire male population at Balamb (or at least the ones that lived in their hall) was not a good thing, so they usually tried to hurry through their morning preparations. "He and Leslie aren't having a good time lately."

"Oh, yeah?" Irvine grabbed a towel and ducked under one of the free showerheads quickly, shaking out his long brown hair. "I thought they were a perfect couple."

Squall shrugged. "Apparently they've been having trouble for awhile. I found out about it from Quistis."

"How'd she know?" Irvine asked.

"Don't ask me," Squall replied, wrapping a towel around himself as he finished up his own shower. He grabbed a free sink and brushed his teeth, then yanked on his uniform and waited for Irvine to finish with his hair. 

"Hey, maybe _Quistis is the reason they're havin' trouble!" Irvine said, grinning._

Squall actually had to laugh. Quistis and Zell? No way. "I don't think so," he said as they hurried out of the bathroom. Both of them drew in breaths of fresh air. "I better get to the Cafeteria before Rinoa throws a fit," he said. "Where are you headed?"

"My room to pick up my coat, and then to the Quad, of course," Irvine said, plopping his hat on his head. "Selphie managed to rope me into helping with the Festival again. See ya later, Squall."

"'Bye, Irvine," Squall said to the overly enthusiastic cowboy as they split up and went their separate ways.

Yes, it was another fun-filled day at Balamb Garden.

Little did they know what lay in store for them in the near future. 

And the far past, as well.


	2. Escape

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Two: Escape **

Cloud Strife leaned his head against the bar counter and tried very hard _not to fall asleep. He needed a vacation. Which would explain why he was in Kalm for the next two weeks, taking time off from his job as Head of Security at Neo-Shinra. Taking the job had seemed like a good thing at the time when Reeve had first brought up the idea, but now Cloud just wanted to curl up in bed and not wake up for about a month. _

A towel landed on his head. "If you're going to wash my counter, you might as well dry it, too," Cloud's girlfriend, Tifa Lockheart, said. Tifa had opened the tavern in Kalm shortly after the defeat of Sephiroth. Since Cloud lived in Neo-Midgar, they didn't get to see each other nearly as often as they liked. "You know, most girls don't find it very attractive when guys drool in their sleep. Lucky for you I'm not 'most girls'." Tifa smiled at Cloud, and the smile grew when he managed to slight smile of his own. 

"Sorry, Tif," he said, straightening up and pulling the towel off his head. "It's been hectic at work, that's all."

"I bet," Tifa said sympathetically as she began to place chairs on top of tables now that they were closed for the evening. "I got a call from Cid earlier," she said casually. 

"Oh, yeah?" Cloud looked at her with bright blue eyes. "How's he doing?"

"Good," she said. "He's all excited because Reeve's decided to reopen the space program, and he's asked Cid and Shera to design a ship. Not a rocket like Shinra No. 9, but an actual spaceship. Cid's all hyper about the possibilities. Oh, and he says he'll be by about noon tomorrow. He's gotta stop by Neo-Midgar to pick up Reeve and Vincent." 

"Just so long as he doesn't ask me to go on it when it's finished," Cloud said, walking over to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. "Almost ready?"

Tifa nodded. "I just have to finish packing." She sighed. "This isn't going to be easy, Cloud."

"I know, Tif," Cloud said, holding her tightly. "But we owe it to Aeris. We have to do this for her."

Tifa nodded. "For Aeris."

_Help me! Somebody help me! Help me, please! PLEASE!_

In the woods surrounding the Promised Land, that world of endless peace where all Cetra went after their deaths, Aeris Gainsborough ran as fast as she could, heart pounding and breathless as she struggled to maintain her footing and not trip over anything. She could still smell the smoke from the flames that had destroyed the central city of her new home, but she couldn't think about that right now. All she could focus on was getting her children to safety. 

The little boy in her arms stirred slightly but didn't wake, something Aeris was thankful for. She glanced over to her side, where her husband was carrying her daughter. She wasn't his by blood, but he had helped to raise her. She was only about ten months older than her brother, but already she had a full head of blonde hair. A trait she had inherited from her father. 

The pain her side worsened as she struggled to catch her breath, and as they came upon a clearing, she leaned against a tree. "Sephiroth," she gasped out, clutching her son to her chest, "I don't think I can go any further." 

Sephiroth hurried to his wife's side and shifted the little girl so that he could take Aeris' hand. "Don't give up," he urged her. "We can't give up now, Aeris. We're almost there. We have to get the kids to safety." His green eyes stared into hers, pleading silently. "If you won't do it for yourself, do it for Quistis and Seifer," Sephiroth said softly. "They didn't deserve to be born into the afterlife, and they don't deserve to die here, either." 

"You're right," Aeris said, agreeing. She took a deep breath and straightened up. "Let's go." Behind them, she could hear the sounds of the demons as they pursued them relentlessly. Every Cetra was dead except for the foursome the demons were now chasing. 

On the edge of the Promised Land was a crystal clear pond that had no bottom, it seemed. In reality, this pond wasn't a pond, but a portal. It was connected to the City of the Ancients, and legends had it that when the Promised Land was in danger, the waters would allow Cetra to pass through it to the other world. If they could reach it…

Smoke reached Aeris' senses, and she realized with sickening horror that they were burning the woods to find them easier. She clutched Seifer tightly, not bothering to shush him when he started to whimper. The demons knew where they were. The only trick now was to stay ahead of them long enough to reach safety. 

The ground shook, nearly throwing them to the ground. Sephiroth growled low in his throat and looked over his shoulder. "Aeris, the pond isn't far from here," he said. "You and the kids can make it on your own, right?"

She looked at him. "What are you saying, Sephiroth?" she whispered.

Sephiroth pried Quistis' arms from around his neck and handed her to her mother. "I'll hold them off as long as I can. You get to the pond."

"No way," Aeris argued. "I'm not leaving you!" 

"Aeris, for once in your life, would you not argue with me?" he snapped, pain-filled eyes meeting her gaze. "We have to think about the children. And they need their mother. So me staying behind is the obvious choice."

"But they need a father, too!" Aeris argued.

Sephiroth looked at her, smiling slightly. It was forced. "I'm sure Cloud will be able to fill that position," he said softly. "Go on, Aeris. Go back. You don't belong here anymore. And I still have things to atone for." 

Husband and wife stared at each other, until finally neither of them could bear it. Aeris stepped forward and kissed Sephiroth softly, wishing she could just throw her arms around him, but was unable to because of the babies. "Don't die," she whispered before she took off into the woods once more, heading for the clearing.

Sephiroth watched her go, then turned in the direction of the demon hounds. "I'm already dead," he said as he waited for them to reach him. _I wish I had my Masamune, he thought. _

But the Promised Land forbade weapons. 

He was on his own. 


	3. Gone...And Returned

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Three: Gone…and Returned**

The Highwind slowly touched down outside of the Sleeping Forest. For a minute, it seemed to be completely deserted. Then, one at a time, the members of AVALANCHE filed off. 

First was Cloud Strife, former mercenary and now Chief of Security for Neo-Shinra. He was immediately followed by Tifa Lockheart, his girlfriend and co-owner of the Kalm Heaven Tavern. Reeve Loire, the president of Neo-Shinra, came next. Behind him came a foreboding figure, who was actually the new Head Turk, Vincent Valentine (it had shocked everyone when Vincent had agreed to once again become a Turk). Barrett Wallace, who owned one of the finest weapon shops in North Corel, and Yuffie Kisaragi, leader of the Five Gods Pagoda in Wutai, left the Highwind after them. Cid Highwind, head of Neo-Shinra's Space Program, was the last to come down after Nanaki, leader of the Cosmo Canyon tribe. It had been a year to the day since they'd last been to this particular place, and they had all changed severely since then. 

Cloud stopped near the entrance to Bone Village and looked back at his friends. "If anybody feels uncomfortable with this, this is your last chance to go back to the ship," he said.

"Hell no," Barrett said, shaking his head. "I ain't backin' out now. 'Sides, Marlene wanted me to put these flowers near Aeris' grave." He held up a bouquet of wildflowers and smiled slightly. "Ever since she met Aeris, Marlene's loved flowers."

"We all owe a lot to Aeris," Nanaki said solemnly. "She saved us all." Everyone nodded in agreement.

Cloud took a deep breath. "Okay. No turning back now." Together, AVALANCHE entered Bone Village and prepared to go into the Sleeping Forest.

Before they could reach the entrance, one of the archeologists stopped them. "I'm sorry, but no one's allowed through the Sleeping Forest right now," she told Cloud apologetically. 

"Why?" Cloud asked. "We called ahead to make sure that it was okay for us to come."

Her eyes widened. "Oh, you were the ones who wanted to go to the City of the Ancients, weren't you?"

"That's right," Cid said. "Now would you get the fuck out of the way and let us pass? We've got permission!" 

"We tried to call you," the girl said. "But I guess you were already gone. The City of Ancients is gone."

They stared at her. "What?"

She nodded. "When we heard the explosion, we all hurried to the site. But it was completely wrecked. We were surprised when we managed to find survivors."

"Survivors?" Tifa asked in confusion. "Someone was there?"

Again, the girl nodded. "A young woman and two kids – I think they were hers. We brought them back here, but the mother hasn't regained consciousness yet. She looked sort of familiar, though." She started for the main hut. "You want to see her? Maybe you can ask her what happened when she wakes up. The doc says it could be any day now." 

Cloud glanced at Barrett and Reeve, who nodded. The group headed after the girl. 

"Here," she said, her voice lowering. "The babies are probably sleeping, so we have to be quiet."

"Awww, they're so cute!" Yuffie and Tifa whispered when they saw the two babies. One looked only a month or so old, while the other was almost a year. The girl had short, curly blond hair, and the boy seemed almost bald, since what little hair he did have was so pale, it was almost white. Both were sound asleep. "Aren't they cute, Cloud?" Tifa asked, looking at her boyfriend.

Cloud was looking beyond the cradles, and his face had gone completely white. So had, Tifa noted, everyone else's. "Cloud, what is it?"

"Oh My Gawd," Yuffie breathed. 

Tifa looked in the direction that everyone else was looking at, and almost collapsed at the sight. 

Lying on a cot near the wall was a young woman in her early twenties, with long brown hair and wearing a pink dress. There was absolutely no mistaking her. 

It was Aeris Gainsborough.


	4. Cloud's a WHAT?!

**Final Fantasy: Revelations **

**Chapter Four: Cloud's a WHAT?!**

"How can Aeris be alive?" whispered Tifa, clinging to Cloud as they watched their sleeping friend. "We saw Sephiroth kill her, Cloud."

"I know," Cloud replied. "I guess we'll just have to wait for her to wake up."

"Hey, you two, get over here!" Yuffie said, waving them over to the cradle. Cloud and Tifa exchanged glances and walked over. "Aren't they cute?"

The girl had finally woken up, and was looking around with wide eyes. "Hey, her eyes are like yours, Cloud," Yuffie realized. "Only I thought yours were that way because of your exposure to Mako energy."

"They are," replied Cloud, looking at the little girl. Their eyes met, and Cloud half expected her to burst into tears at the unfamiliar face. Instead, she smiled and crawled closer to the edge where his hand rested. 

"I think she likes you," Tifa said, leaning her head against his shoulder. 

"Quistis…likes…everyone," a hoarse voice said from behind them.

Immediately, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing. The Bone Village doctor hurried over to check Aeris' vitals, while the members of AVALANCHE who hadn't returned to the Highwind – Cloud, Tifa, Barrett, and Yuffie – just hurried over to see Aeris. "You're awake!" Tifa cried, throwing her arms around the older woman.

Aeris managed a small smile. "Tifa," she said, hugging her back as best as she could. "How are my babies?" she asked when Tifa pulled away.

"Your…babies?" Tifa asked. She looked over her shoulder. "Them? They're yours?"

"Quistis and Seifer," confirmed Aeris. Now that she was almost fully awake, it was easier for her to talk. 

"Who's the father?" Cloud asked softly, his head spinning. When Aeris answered him, he wasn't even sure he'd heard the answers.

"Quistis is yours, Cloud," Aeris replied softly. "And Seifer's father…is Sephiroth."

Fortunately, Barrett and Tifa were there to catch Cloud before he hit the ground.

It didn't take them long to get Aeris and her children back to the Highwind once Cloud woke up, so once they were all settled and the airship was headed back towards Kalm – Aeris insisted that they get as far away from the Northern Continent as they could – they assembled in the Operations Room to hear her story. 

Quistis was busily playing with Cloud's hair while she sat on Tifa's lap, and Seifer was perfectly content to fall asleep in his mother's arms while she told her tale. "Everyone knows what the Promised Land is, so I won't explain that," Aeris started. "What I discovered when I entered there was that it's actually a city for the spirits of those who die. They finish living out their lives in the Promised Land until they reach about one hundred, and then return to the Lifestream. On rare occasions, children are actually born in the Promised Land, and then they follow the same pattern. I was pregnant with Quistis when I died, and her spirit transferred with me. I gave birth in the Promised Land." 

Tifa frowned at Cloud. "And when were _you going to mention this?"_

"Don't be angry at Cloud, Tifa," Aeris said, smiling. "He had no idea I was pregnant. _I didn't know I was pregnant. I was only a few months along."_

"When?" Cloud couldn't help asking.

Aeris looked at him pointedly. "The Gold Saucer?" she reminded him. Cloud's face turned bright red. 

"Okay," Vincent said, getting everyone back on track. "So Quistis was born in the Promised Land. How does Sephiroth figure into this?"

"Not long after I'd been there, Sephiroth's spirit appeared in the Center City. Many cities exist in the Promised Land, depending on what type of person you are, but the Center City is _only for those with Cetra blood. The Jenova cells implanted in Sephiroth when he was a baby had confused the Planet, and when he died he'd been sent to the Center City. The Elders of the City weren't thrilled about it, but they figured that the Planet must have had some reason, so they allowed Sephiroth to stay. _

"It soon became obvious to everyone – including myself – that this was not the same Sephiroth who had destroyed Nibelheim and summoned Meteor. Without Jenova's influence over him, Sephiroth was back to his normal self. And, strange as it may seem, I found myself falling in love with that Sephiroth. We were married a few months ago, after discovering that I was once again pregnant, this time with his child. And Seifer was born as month ago."

"Sounds like life was good," Cid said, leaning back in his chair and drumming his fingers on the table. "So what happened to make you come here?" 

"One day, the Planet grew restless," Aeris said. "Everyone in the Center City could feel it. And then it was as if hell itself had broken through. A – how can I describe it? A hole appeared in the sky, as if it were a piece of fabric that someone had torn. And from this hole came monsters, demons, things that don't have names but could only be described as pure evil. They poured out of the rip and lay siege upon the Center City, burning, slashing, and destroying everything in their path, until only a handful of us were left. Sephiroth and I had managed to take shelter underground with a few others, and when we thought it was safe, we came out. 

"We were wrong. Waiting for us in the city ruins was a woman who called herself Linra. She said that she had come from another world, and that she was a sorceress. She didn't explain why she had come, or why she wanted us destroyed. Sephiroth and I ran from that place with the children, ran as fast as we could. The others who had survived the first siege were unable to escape, but somehow we did. We knew our only hope lay in reaching the Gateway between this world and the Promised Land, and the hope that we would be aloud to pass through it. I managed to reach the Gateway with Quistis and Seifer just as the demons Linra had sent after us caught up to me. They were the ones who destroyed the Gateway, and the City of the Ancients with it."

"And Sephiroth?" Cloud asked.

All at once, Aeris' face seemed to crumple as tears began sliding down her cheeks. Seifer reached up one hand to his mother's face, uncertain as to why she was upset. "He stayed behind to make sure that we got through safely. I have no idea what happened to him." 


	5. Mission Assignments

**Final Fantasy: Revelaitons**

**Chapter Five: Mission Assignments**

"Headmaster?"

Cid Kramer looked up to see Xu standing in the doorway, looking in uncertainly. "Yes?" he asked, frowning. "Is something wrong, Xu?"

"Oh, no," Xu said, shaking her head. Her tone of voice suggested something completely different. "It's just, well…you've got a phone call. Whoever it is said it was urgent. They even asked for you by name." She looked at him, eyes wide.

Cid felt a cold feeling of dread, and suddenly knew exactly who it was on the other end of the line. He reached for the telephone and switched over to a secure line before starting the conversation. "Cid Kramer here," he said stiffly.

"So it's _Kramer now?" a soft, musical voice said over the line. "Hello, Cid."_

"Hello, Savannah," Cid said, playing nervously with the corner of a piece of paper. "It's been awhile."

"Nearly eighteen years," Savannah replied. "It took me about a month to finally track you down, Cid. How are the kids?"

"How did you--?"

Savannah laughed. "I know a lot of things, Cid. So. How are the kids?"

"Fine," Cid said. "Rinoa and Irvine have signed up to become SeeD here at Balamb, Quistis was recently given her Instructor's license back, Selphie's actively involved with the Garden Festival Committee, and Zell and Squall are helping out a teaching assistants during training exercises."

"And what about Seifer?"

"He hasn't been back to Balamb Garden since the Ultimecia incident," Cid replied. "I don't know where he is."

"Then I suggest you find him," Savannah suggested. "We of the Cosmo Canyon Clan bloodline may be slowly diminishing, but we can't just ignore the signs. And they all point to trouble with the Planet."

Cid sat up straight. "You mean…?"

"Yes," Savannah replied. "I don't think it was random that Ultimecia chose _Seifer to be her Knight, Cid. I think she was planning for something. And that something is coming. __Find him. Before it's too late." There was a click, and then a hum as Savannah abruptly killed the conversation, just before Cid could finish running a trace on her location._

Cid sighed and replaced the receiver. "Fuckin' hell," he whispered. "She's back."

"_Squall Leonheart, Quistis Trepe, Zell Dincht, Irvine Kinneas, Selphie Tilmitt, and Rinoa Heartilly please report to the Headmaster's office. BTYOA."_

Rinoa pulled herself out of Squall's arms and stuck her tongue out at the outdoor speaker a few feet away from them. "I wonder what's so urgent?" she asked as she sat up and fixed her shirt so that it fit properly. 

"It's urgent if Xu's using the acronym," Squall said, raking his fingers through his hair to get it all going in the right direction. 'BTYOA' was common Balamb terminology for 'Be There or it's Your Own Ass', which basically meant that the Headmaster wanted you in his office _yesterday. Squall grabbed his jacket and slung it over his shoulder, then took Rinoa's hand as the two of them hurried inside the Garden._

They immediately collided with Zell Dincht, who was on his way _out of the Garden. "Where are you going?" Rinoa asked curiously. "Didn't you hear Xu's message?"_

Zell nodded and glanced nervously over his shoulder. "Yeah, but Leslie's standing by the elevator. I was going to take the emergency stairs." 

"That's silly," Rinoa said, looping her other arm through his and leading both guys into the Garden. "You can't avoid her forever."

Zell unhooked their arms and froze. "Aw, hell, she spotted me. She's coming over here. Hide me!" 

Leslie walked up to them, a big smile plastered on her face as she approached. "Zell, hi! I haven't seen you all day! You didn't come by the library this morning."

"God, can you believe her?" Rinoa whispered to Squall as they left the two, glancing apologetically at Zell while they waited for the elevator. "According to Quistis, they got into this big argument last night, and now she's acting like nothing happened."

Squall shrugged. "Zell can handle it," he said. Although even he had to admit that the martial artist was looking very distraught as Leslie talked his ear off. 

"Hey, Dincht, get your rear in gear," Quistis Trepe said as she approached from the Training Facility. "The Headmaster is not a patient person. Sorry, Leslie, but you'll have to continue this conversation later. Duty calls." She grabbed Zell's arm and pulled him away from his girlfriend. "You can thank me later," she muttered as the elevator doors opened and the foursome stepped inside.

"Thank you thank you thank you," Zell said to Quistis, ignoring her request for 'later'. 

"What's going on with Leslie, Zell?" Rinoa asked. "I mean, I thought you two were having problems."

"Apparently she doesn't think so," Zell said helplessly. "Every time I try to talk to her about it, she changes the subject and talks my ear off."

"Shut up," hissed Squall as the elevator reached the third floor and the doors opened. They stepped out to see Selphie and Irvine already waiting nervously in front of Cid's desk. Cid himself was sitting behind the desk, looking very worried and a little annoyed. 

"It's about time," he said tensely. 

"Sorry, Headmaster," Squall said, bowing. "We got a little tied up waiting for the elevator. I hope we haven't been keeping you waiting for too long."

"No, no, it's okay," Cid said, waving his hand to show that it didn't bother him. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

"What's up, Headmaster?" Irvine asked, leaning against the wall and looking at him from underneath the brim of his hat. "Xu's announcement made it seem like you wanted to talk to us about something."

"I do," Cid replied. "And I'm afraid you might not like it. I've got a mission that I feel I can only trust the six of you to handle." 

They all exchanged uncertain glances. "Don't tell me," Zell said nervously. "There's another sorceress hell-bent on taking over the world."

"I wish it were that simple," Cid sighed. "No, the mission I'm sending you on is a search and possible rescue."

"Who's in trouble?" Quistis asked, concerned. 

"You're not going to like this," Cid replied, already prepared for the outburst that he knew would come.

Squall frowned. "Who is it, Headmaster?"

Cid drummed his fingers on his desk, then looked straight at Squall. 

"Seifer Almasy." 


	6. Enter Linra

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Six: Enter Linra**

What had once been a beautiful land was now burning and smoking in ruin. Charred remains of buildings dotted the scorched landscape. Littering the ground were the remains of dozens of peaceful lives – not that it mattered much anymore. Those souls who had used the objects were now lost forever, never to return to the Lifestream. 

Thanks to one woman.

Her name was Linra, and she was not from the Promised Land. Nor was she from the world of the living connected to it. She had originated in another dimension, another era, where magic and power existed in a different way from how they did in this new world. 

She had taken great joy in the destruction of the Promised Land – as a Sorceress, this was understandable. Her kind reveled in chaos and destruction. _Dominatio per malum was the motto of her ancestors. Power through evil. And power, of course, was everything, so it was perfectly natural to embrace evil. _

However, with the Promised Land now lying ruin, all of the joy seemed to be leaving her. She realized that the happiness had been in the _doing, not in the __knowing, that she alone was responsible for such chaos. A bittersweet smile twisted cruelly on her lips. She had gained so much power through the absorption of all those souls, and she had felt the Planet's defenses begin to weaken. _

But something was bothering her. There had been two who had escaped, two who had possessed great power in their life and continued to possess it in their death. Quite a few of the souls she had consumed had similar power, but there was something raw and unnatural about the power within these two. It was because of this power that she had decided to let the man live after he'd been brought back by her minions. 

Linra stood from her throne and looked at the cage dangling from the ceiling of her throne room. The man lay in the bottom, still unconscious, silver hair that must have once been brilliant but now was stained with blood fanning out beneath his head. Linra was becoming impatient – she wanted to him to wake up so that she could ask him where his female companion had disappeared to. She could not detect the woman's presence in the Promised Land any longer – did that mean she had crossed over to the land of the living? If that was the case, Linra wanted to know where this opening way. She knew that she would have no trouble in extracting this information from the man once he'd woken up. No man could resist her for very long, and she always had enjoyed twisting them. It had been so very long since she'd had a protector, a knight. Perhaps he would be perfect for the job.

If only he would _wake up! _

The door to the throne room opened, and one of her minions entered. "Sorceress," the demon said, bowing low. "We have scoured the land, and are pleased to report that every soul has been destroyed within the Promised Land."

Linra narrowed her eyes. "I know that, you fool," she snarled. "Do you think that I cannot detect the living, breathing souls that exist within this land?! Now leave here and don't interrupt me unless I ask you to! Go!"

"Yes, Sorceress," the demon said, bowing low. "A thousand apologies, Sorceress. I will –"

"LEAVE!" screamed Linra, firing a blast of fire at the demon. The demon yelped and scurried out of the throne room, the door slamming shut behind him. 

Linra stood there, breathing heavily. Then, tossing her long black hair back over her shoulder, she turned back to the cage. "Wake up, my knight," she whispered, touching the man's pale cheek with one long, perfectly manicured fingernail. "We have much work to do."


	7. It's a Little Too Quiet

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Seven: It's a Little Too Quiet**

"GOD DAMMIT!" 

_SLAM!_

"@$^*#$!"

_CRASH!_

"_WHY THE HELL CAN'T I MOVE AROUND IN MY OWN FUCKIN' AIRSHIP?!"_

"I'll thank you _not to cuss around my children, Cid Highwind," Aeris hissed from where she was casually nursing Seifer. Cid, who had just tripped over a metal case that he had no clue as to what it's purpose was, spun around to snap at her. Upon realizing what she was doing, he immediately turned bright red and spun around in the other direction. "Geez, woman, get a room!" he snapped. "Do you have to do that in public?"_

Aeris looked amused as she set Seifer down next to his sister, then buttoned up her shirt and picked him up again. "I'm finished, Cid. And I meant what I said. I don't want _either of them to get used to swearing." She reached down and took Quistis' hand, then led the toddler out of the room. "Come on, Quisty. Let's go see what your daddy's up to." Quistis followed easily on unsteady feet._

Cid rolled his eyes and began walking towards the bridge, completely forgetting about the case he'd tripped over before.

_CRASH!_

"AWWW – FUCKIN' HELL!" 

Cloud winced as Cid's voice echoed through the Highwind. He, Tifa, Barrett, and Reeve were all on the deck, looking out at the landscape. The Highwind was docked near Costa Del Sol, and Yuffie had convinced Vincent and Red to come into town with her to pick up a few things (read: Materia). Having nothing better to do, they'd agreed. Now the Highwind was just waiting for them to get back. Then it was good-bye Costa Del Sol, hello Cosmo Canyon. Red had seemed to remember some old books that Bugenhagen had kept about the Promised Land. 

"Cid's in rare form today," commented Cloud casually, his spiky blond hair falling into his eyes. "Wonder what he's upset about now?"

"Somebody left something in the middle of the floor," Aeris called up as she patiently helped her daughter maneuver the staircase. This was a slow, agonizing journey, seeing as how Quistis had a tendency to stop and play with her toes at every step before continuing her journey. Tifa smiled at the little girl, and wondered how Aeris could have so much patience. Then she winced as Seifer reached up and grabbed a fistful of brown hair. "Ouch! Seifer, please let go of Mommy's hair. Please…" Seifer continued to tug on the hair, keeping a death grip. Finally, sensing that he wasn't going to let go at anytime, Aeris shifted the baby in her arms so that there wasn't quite so much of a pull on her hair. Quistis reached the top step, and immediately crawled over to Cloud. She was still a little too young to realize that Cloud was her natural father, but she had still taken a liking to him. Aeris explained that it was because of his eyes – even though it had been awhile since Cloud had been exposed to Mako energy (Neo-Shinra's first act of business had been the demolition of every Mako reactor they controlled), they still glowed with an unnatural blue shine. Sephiroth's green eyes had done the same, and Quistis' violet eyes did as well, even thought she'd never been exposed to Mako energy. Most likely it was a genetic anomaly from Cloud's DNA, thus proving Reeve's hypothesis that Mako energy could, in fact, cause mutations in the genetic information of a human being. Quistis, apparently, liked glowing eyes. 

Cloud knelt down next to his daughter, and she immediately tried to climb into his lap. Laughing slightly, he picked her up so that she could look out at the town not far from them. 

"Cloud seems to be adjusting well to being a father, considering he only found out a couple of days ago," Aeris commented as she and Seifer joined Tifa, Barrett, and Reeve at the railing. "I have to say, I'm a little relieved. He's taking her mind off of Sephiroth. I don't think she's really realized yet that he's not here." 

"Cloud's always been one to deal with shock," Reeve said, nodding as he looked at father and daughter. 

Tifa sighed, and Barrett looked at her. "Somethin' on ya mind, Tif?" he asked. 

"Not really," Tifa said, shaking her head. "I mean, nothing that I can explain, exactly. But something is making me nervous. Just a feeling I've got – like there's something that's going to happen soon."

Aeris looked concerned. "What do you mean?" she asked, slightly nervous. 

"Well, it's just that it seems kind of strange that you and the children made it back here alive, but we haven't heard anything from the Promised Land since." Tifa shrugged. "It's probably nothing. Although I'll tell you – the sooner we make it to Cosmo Canyon, the easier I'll rest. Those books of Red's will probably come in handy." 

"I hope so," Reeve replied. At that moment, his cell phone rang. He grabbed it immediately. "Reeve Loire here." He paused. "Oh, hello, Reno. Something wrong?"

At the mention of the Turk's name, everyone on deck looked at Reeve. Although there had been bad blood between AVALANCHE and the Turks in the past, with Vincent taking command of the latter, tensions had defused over time. Now, occasionally, the Turks and AVALANCHE would get together to reminisce about what had happened in the war. 

Reeve sighed and reached one hand up to massage his temples. "Okay. Yes, I'll be there as soon as I can. Thanks, Reno. No, Vincent won't be coming back with me. There's another situation that needs looking into. I'll see you soon." He closed the cell phone and tucked it back into his pocket.

"What's up?" Cloud asked, balancing Quistis on his hip so that he could look at his boss. 

"I have to go back to Neo-Midgar," Reeve replied regretfully. "It seems word about the City of the Ancients has reached Headquarters, and it's got the Science Department in a frenzy. Reno thinks it would be best if I got back ASAP to try and calm some of them down. Apparently a few of the scientists seem to think that by being away, I'm keeping something from them." Reeve shrugged. "It'll blow over, but in the meantime, you'll have to continue on to Cosmo Canyon without me. I'll catch a helicopter in Costa Del Sol." 

"Do you need any back-up?" Cloud asked with concern.

Reeve shook his head. "No. I want you and Vincent to stay put. You'll both be of more use here, I think. I better go pack my things and tell Cid what's up." 

After Reeve had disappeared below deck, Tifa looked at Cloud. "Think it's serious?" she asked. 

"I doubt it," Cloud replied. "Although when the Promised Land, and the Cetra, are involved – you never know, do you?"

"No," Aeris agreed quietly. "You most certainly don't."


	8. Nanaki's Secret

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Eight: Nanaki's Secret**

Red XIII was not in a very good mood. Yuffie was busy trying to bargain with the Materia Seller, while Vincent was idly standing by, lost in his own thoughts. That left Red XIII, who hadn't liked his first visit to Costa Del Sol (darn kids and soccer balls!), to fend for himself. Sighing, the lion creature padded his way along a shaded alleyway and toyed with the idea of just heading back for the Highwind, instead of waiting impatiently for Yuffie for finish up. Knowing her, it could be awhile. 

_I'm out of here, he thought, heading for the exit to the resort town. He needed shade. He needed water. He needed to get out of the sun. Having a fur coat was not a good thing in this area. He was panting and sweating from exhaustion and overheating. "Forget this," he muttered, ducking into the shadows. "I can always revert back before I reach the Highwind. It's just too hot for a fur coat."_

Not much was known about Red XIII, or Nanaki, and his people. As far as AVALANCHE and most of the humans knew, there was only the clan at Cosmo Canyon. But it was a lot more complicated than that. 

Nanaki curled up in the shadows and closed his eyes, focusing on the hidden talent that was kept deep inside him. The red flame on his tail grew larger, and curled around him, enveloping him and engulfing him. It had been so long since he had done this. The last time had been shortly before he'd been captured by the Shinra Science Department. In fact, it had been the reason he'd been caught. He'd unconsciously reverted back to his true form in the middle of a crowded city. Not the smartest idea he'd ever had. 

The flames faded away, and Nanaki stood up and walked out of the shadows. The a casual observer, however, they wouldn't have seen a rust-red lion with a flaming tail. They would've seen a muscular young man was chocolate-brown hair cut closely, and hazel eyes that seemed to look at everything with a perception not usually found in most humans. The only thing that betrayed his true identity was the strange mark on the side of his face – the mark of the Guardian, as they had once been called by the Cetra. 

Nanaki brushed the dirt and dust off of his red tunic before heading for the plains outside of town. It wouldn't take him very long to get back to the Highwind, but traveling this way would've made it less conspicuous, and he definitely would be a whole lot cooler. He was slightly unsteady on his two legs, seeing as howl it had been two or three years since he'd last used them. Checking to make sure the Limited Moon was still securely fastened around his hand, he started forward. 

And froze when he saw Yuffie and Vincent heading towards him. _Oh no. What if they see me like this? _

They approached him…

…And walked past him. 

_Pay attention, Nanaki, he thought. __They don't know__ what you look like as a human! "Foolish," he muttered. "I better get out of here before I completely give myself away." _

Five minutes later brought him out on the plains, with the Highwind just barely in sight. There was no way anyone on the ship could see him, so he was safe for the time being. He couldn't let Cloud and the others find out about his abilities. 

Fortunately for him, he still had superb eyesight and hearing. Which was why he was able to sense what was going on behind the outcropping of rocks twenty feet from his left. 

"Leave me alone," a soft, female voice warned from the other side of the rocks. The voice tried to sound confident, but Nanaki could sense the fear in her tone. "I don't have anything for you." 

"Doesn't have anything, she says," a gruff voice answered. "And pretty thing like you traveling alone _must have __something you could give us. Money, possessions – or just any old thing you could think of. " The meaning behind those words was obvious. _

_Doesn't sound too good, Nanaki thought. He didn't even stop and think if he should get involved or not. He hurried to the outcropping and scrambled up the rocks as quickly and quietly as he could to the top, then paused and peered over the side. _

Below him was a petite girl with long, dark blonde hair, dressed in clothing that didn't seem to be from the modern time period. In fact, it reminded him much of his own medieval attire. She wore a pale blue dress that fit her snugly, and the skirt fell to just above her ankles. Pretty to look at, but not much use in a fight. 

"Back off," the girl snapped. "I'll tell my father about this!" 

This got a chorus of laughs and jeers from the five men surrounding her. The sound made the hairs on the back of Nanaki's neck stand on end. One of the men reached out and grabbed her arm roughly, twisting it slightly.

"Leave her alone!" Nanaki shouted, standing up on top of the rocks (which weren't more than ten or twelve feet high). He'd been shielded by a higher part of the outcropping, which appeared to be an old wall of some sort, but now they could all clearly see him. 

The girl stared up at him, her eyes transfixed on the mark on the side of his face. It glowed slightly as Nanaki felt the familiar power charge of his Limit Break build up. There was nothing he hated more than watching people attack someone or something weaker than themselves. 

"Who's this guy?" muttered one of the thugs. 

"Back off, pal, we saw her first!" snapped another one of them. 

This didn't go over well with Nanaki. He jumped off of the outcropping, surprising everyone by nimbly landing on his feet. Then, in one fluid motion, he nailed a roundhouse kick in the gut of the man who was holding the girl by the arm. The man doubled over in pain, releasing his grip slightly on the girl.

She immediately grabbed him by the wrist and flung him over her shoulder, twisting the wrist as he fell and snapping it neatly. Reaching down, she removed a dagger from underneath her dress and held it warningly at the men. They stared at it in disbelief. 

"Get out of here," Nanaki growled, his voice low and feral. If they didn't leave soon, he was going to lose control and use his Limit Break. 

The thugs did not take his advice, and charged forward with their own weapons, despite the girl's dagger. 

Nanaki seemed to glow from within, and immediately reverted back to his lion form, a feat with momentarily stunned the thugs. "**STARDUST RAY!" he howled, summoning the falling stars to rain down on the humans before him. The girl had the sense to stay right where she was while the Limit Break attacked, completely destroying the thugs in front of them. **

When the effects of the Limit Break died down, Nanaki stared at the remains of the men, a sick, uncertain feeling pooling in his stomach. There was something not right about the smell and stench of these humans. He padded uncertainly forward and sniffed the bodies, then reeled back from the stench. 

They smelled as if they had been decaying for years. 

"Thank you," the girl said, looking at him. He turned to her, startled that she hadn't yet run in fright from what she'd seen. "Be careful in the future, however. They're a force to be reckoned with. Perhaps we'll see each other again someday, Nanaki of Cosmo Canyon." She smiled slightly. "I think I'd like that indeed." With those words, she spun around and scrambled up the wall, then jumped down the other side.

"Wait!" Nanaki shouted, taking a giant leap and landing on the top. "Who are –" He stared at the ground. There was no one in sight. "—you?" 

_They're a force to be reckoned with. Her words echoed in his mind._

Who in the world were 'they'?


	9. Missing: Sorceress' Knight and Ancient C...

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Nine: Missing: Sorceress' Knight and Ancient City**

"Did I hear you correctly?" Squall demanded, glaring at the Headmaster. "Did you just ask us to go on a search and rescue mission for _Seifer Almasy?" _

Cid met his glare and kept his gaze focused and steady. "I believe that is _exactly what you heard me say, Squall. And I'll thank you to remember that I am still the Headmaster of Balamb Garden, and you are still just a SeeD. Don't take that tone of voice with me."_

Zell, Quistis, Irvine, Selphie, and Rinoa watched in surprised shock as Squall went from being a normally level-headed young man to losing complete control of his temper. "Have you forgotten what that bastard _did to us?" he shouted. "He betrayed Garden, and left all of us to die! He would've killed us all, just for his precious Sorceress!"_

"None of which he was responsible for," Cid replied coolly. "Ultimecia had him well brainwashed, Squall, remember? He wasn't in control of his own mind. The powers of a Sorceress are far beyond any of our comprehension, save for those who possess the powers themselves. Am I right, Rinoa?"

Rinoa nodded slowly. "He's right, Squall," she said, placing her hand on her boyfriend's arm. "A Sorceress _can brainwash someone, if they know the right tricks. And Ultimecia knew them, according to Edea."_

Squall stared at her. "Are you actually _agreeing with him?" he demanded. "You think we should help find Seifer, don't you?"_

"If he's in trouble," Rinoa said, "then yes. It's been a year, Squall. What if he's changed?"

"Guys like him don't change," Squall said stubbornly. 

"FOR GODSAKE, JUST FUCKING SHUT UP!" Cid shouted, completely losing his temper. The uncharacteristic explosion from the Headmaster was enough to achieve the desired effect, as all six teenagers stared at him with open mouths. Cid stood up and placed his hands on his desk. "I'm giving you a direct order, Squall Leonheart. Find Seifer Almasy. We need him."

Quistis was the first to regain her composure and her voice. "Headmaster…why?" she asked, tucking a strand of blond hair behind her ear. "Why is he so important?"

Cid took a couple of deep breaths to try and control himself. "I can't tell you yet, because I don't know for certain," he replied. "I need to make a couple of phone calls. Just find him. Please." All the anger had seeped out of his voice, and now only desperation tinged his words. 

Rinoa squeezed Squall's arm. "Come on," she whispered. "Let's leave him alone." She led him out of the room, Irvine and Selphie right behind them. 

"Zell. Quistis. Wait."

Zell and Quistis paused, looking at the Headmaster. "We'll catch up with you," Quistis told the others, sensing that there was something else on the Headmaster's mind. Irvine nodded and closed the door behind him on his way to the elevator. 

"Sit down," Cid said, nodding to two chairs opposite his desk. "I don't want the two of you going with them to find Seifer. I need you for something else."

They glanced at each other uncertainly, but sat down. "What is it, Headmaster?" Quistis asked.

Cid leaned back in his chair and opened a drawer. From inside the drawer, he removed an old, faded map. It looked like it was hand drawn, and a few places were circled on the map. "Do either of you know about the City of the Ancients?"

"Just the stories and legends," Zell said. "I learned about them in grade school. Supposedly it was a place of great power, built by an ancient race of people." 

"Yes," Cid agreed. "It was a majestic place. I remember the first time I set foot in it. I was utterly speechless – something, I assure you, was not common for me back then."

Quistis frowned. "Headmaster, you're not making any sense."

Cid waved her comment away. "Never mind. It's not important." He placed the map on the desk. "This was the world some 500 years ago, back when the location of the City of the Ancients was known to the public. Circled in red are major points, but for now we'll concentrate on the ones marked 2, 5, 6, and 8. Five is the City of the Ancients. Two is the location of Cosmo Canyon, six is the Lifestream, and eight is where the great Northern Crater was located. Does that ring any bells?"

"The legendary JENOVA battles and the Sephiroth Confrontation," Zell said, surprising both of them. He blushed slightly at their expressions. "Some I'm a closet historian. Big deal."

"Funny how you never mentioned this little fact before," Quistis said, frowning. "You always did so poorly in History class."

"It was boring history that took place in the last decade or so," Zell said, shrugging. "I like the ancient history stuff, when the world was very different from nowadays."

"Ahem," Cid said, clearing his throat to get their attention. "May I continue?" 

Quistis and Zell nodded. 

"The world has changed greatly since then – continents have shifted thanks to the Great Wars, and whole islands have disappeared. After Holy stopped Meteor, the Planet began to heal itself, and began to change. But many of the old sites of legend still exist.

"What I want the two of you to do is compare this map – and please be careful with it, it's one of a kind – to a map of nowadays, and try and pinpoint the exact location of the City of the Ancients today. If you find these other landmarks, they should help as well."

"Why us?" Quistis and Zell exclaimed at the same time. "Sorry, Headmaster, but this doesn't make much sense," Quistis added. 

"It's for the same reason that Squall and the others need to find Seifer," Cid replied. "I'm sorry I can't be anymore specific than that at this time, but to tell you the truth, I'm not entirely certain as to what's going on here. I'm just trying to cover all bases."

"But _why us?" Zell repeated, frowning in confusion. "Why me and Quisty?"_

Cid smiled sadly. "Because out of all the people I trust, you two have the highest chance of actually succeeding in locating this place. It's in your blood, after all."


	10. Late Night Sighting

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Ten: Late Night Sighting**

"This is getting boring," muttered Quistis as she hunched over a pile of maps several hours later. "So Squall and the others got off safely?" 

"Yeah," Zell replied, nodding as he ran his finger along a map key, then scribbled something on the photocopy next to him. He paused, then immediately scratched out what he'd just written. "The train left, no problem. I have no idea why they'd think Seifer would be in Galbadia, though. After what happen, I'd be surprised if the guy ever set foot in that place again." 

"Well, isn't that where Fujin and Raijin figured he'd be?" Quistis asked matter-of-factly. "You've got to trust someone in a situation like this."

"What do you mean, 'situation like this'?" Zell set his pen down and looked at her, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Peering a tiny print for nearly eight hours was making him tired. "And are you making _any progress on any of this?" _

"Seifer just disappeared off the face of the planet," Quistis replied. "When you have to look for someone like that, you go on whatever you get. And no, I'm not making any progress. None of these places even exist anymore. Nibelheim, Midgar, Wutai, Kalm…it's been 500 years since those places existed on a map! Is the Headmaster expecting us to work miracles?" She threw down her pencil and rubbed her wrists, wincing in pain.

Zell stood up from his side of the table and walked over to her. "Relax," he said, leaning against the table. "I think part of our problem is that we don't have enough maps."

She looked at him incredulously.

"Think about it," he said. "We're working with a map from 500 years ago. It's in decent condition, but it's not perfect. Then we're comparing it to maps made in the last five or ten years. There's a huge gap in there. If we can find some maps made _during that gap, then we can compare how the world was changing and adjusting. I bet we've got some of them on computer files and in textbooks."_

Quistis looked at him with admiration. "Good thinking, Zell. But it'll mean going to the Library."

Zell shrugged. "It's part of the job. Besides, I was actually thinking of the library in town. It's open later, and once we leave Garden we're off curfew, so we can work longer. After we pick up what we need, we can head over to my house. I'll call ahead and see if Ma can throw something together for us to eat. Sound good?"

Quistis was already rolling up maps. "While you call your mother, I'll get my leave card from the Headmaster. I'll meet you by the gate in about fifteen minutes."

"What's a leave card?" Zell asked, slightly confused.

"That's right – you've never really lived on campus, have you?" She stacked up the rolled maps and tucked them under her arm. "In order to leave Garden for a night when you're not on a mission, you have to get a card – similar to an ID card – stamped by either Xu or the Headmaster. Just give me fifteen minutes to catch up with you, k?"

Zell was already dialing his house to talk to his mother, and nodded as Quistis left the conference room off of the library that they'd been working in. 

She stepped into the hallway and walked briskly towards the exit. The library was nearly deserted, since it was nearly curfew, and the only people still there were Leslie and one of the assistant librarians. They were getting ready to close up for the night.

The corridors were deserted at the hour, and the lights were already dimming as she approached the elevator. She stabbed at the 'up' button for the 3rd floor, then waited impatiently for the car to come down. When the door opened, Quistis stepped in – and immediately got the feeling that she was being watched.

Turning away from the closing door, she stifled a scream as she came face-to-face with a young woman with long brown hair and piercing green eyes, a few inches shorter than Quistis – who could've sworn that there was no one in the elevator when she'd entered it. Not only that, but the woman was completely unfamiliar. "Who are you?" Quistis demanded shakily as the elevator rose up.

The woman smiled sadly, then shook her head. The bell rang once, signaling the opening of the doors. At the sound of the bell, the woman faded away. 

Quistis backed out of the elevator, never taking her eyes off the place where the woman had once stood. Behind her, she heard Cid call her name. 

"Quistis!" The Headmaster was directly behind her now, and was shaking her shoulder. "Quistis, what's wrong? What happened?"

Quistis stared wide-eyed at the elevator, even though the doors were now closed. "I…I don't know," she mumbled in disbelief. "There was someone…I thought…someone was there."

"There?" Cid frowned. "There was no one there, Quistis."

"But she was," Quistis murmured. "Brown hair, and green eyes. And she wore a pink dress…I'm positive it was pink." She shook her head and laughed slightly. "I must be working too hard. I probably just need to get something to eat and a good night's sleep."

She didn't notice that the Headmaster had gone completely pale.


	11. Contact

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Eleven: Contact**

"It was so weird," Quistis said as she and Zell walked towards Balamb. "When I told him what I thought I saw, he just went white. Then he signed my pass and sent me away, locking the door behind him."

"Did he say anything to you?" Zell asked curiously.

She shook her head. "Nothing. Not a word." She glanced at him. "I just can't help thinking about that woman. I've tried telling myself that it was just my imagination – but Zell, every time I think about it, I'm more and more convinced that it's real!" She shivered in the cold night air, and for the first time wished that she hadn't left her jacket in her room. But all she could think about was just getting out of Garden. "I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get much work done tonight."

Zell shrugged off his jacket and handed it to her, and she gratefully put it on. "Don't worry about it. We can hit the library tomorrow instead. It'll be awhile before Squall and the others track down Seifer, so we've got time. Ma's waiting for us, by the way. She said she was making spaghetti anyway, so she's glad we're having extra company."

Quistis smiled. "I like spaghetti. Does she make meatballs, too?"

"The best meatballs around," Zell replied proudly. "They're huge – probably the size of tennis balls. She makes her own sauce, too."

A gust of cold wind blew around them, reminding them that winter was getting closer. Distantly, they heard the mournful cry of something or other. Quistis shivered again, and not because of the cold. "I don't know how you can handle this walk every night. This place is always so quiet at night."

Zell shrugged. "I grew up here. I'm used to it. 'Sides, we're almost – what's that?"

The two friends stopped in the middle of the road and looked in the direction Zell was pointing in. "I don't see anything," Quistis said, scanning the distant shore. Balamb Island was a lot larger than it looked from the air, and they could just barely see the beach from where they stood. "What did you see?"

"Something," Zell replied, frowning. "It's gone now. If it was ever really there." He grabbed her arm and tugged on it. "Come on. Let's get out of here." Quistis followed willingly behind.

As they hurried towards the town, a shadowy figure stepped out of the dunes and watched them leave. There was nothing terribly distinguishing about the figure. He was of average height, with jet-black hair that hung down to his shoulders and a tan complexion which made it easier for him the hide in the darkness. His clothes were a little odd – a tunic and a pair of deerskin pants – and he carried a knife in his belt. His looks definitely weren't the first thing that anyone would notice about him.

The mark on his face, however – now that would draw stares. 

"So that's them," the man murmured. He reached into the small bag strapped to his side and removed the piece of paper that was rolled up inside of it. Scrawled on the outside was a single name: Cid Kramer. "I better hurry to the Garden and deliver this if I want to make it back to the Canyon before daybreak." He closed his eyes, and his shape changed to the form of a large feline, with tan fur, a black mane, and a red fire flame on his tail. Then, message securely tucked away, he ran towards Balamb Garden.

Cid stood at the huge bay window in his office, watching as Zell and Quistis disappeared in the distance. Since they'd left, he'd stood there, watching them go. Now he turned away, and prepared to take his nightly walk around campus. Reaching for his coat, he locked up his office and began his routine trek. 

The incident earlier, with Quistis and her apparent vision, had left him shaken. It had been years since he'd last thought about the past. He'd tried to hide, to keep the past in the past, where he believed it belonged. 

Now destiny, and Savannah, was telling him otherwise. 

The truth was, he hadn't known Savannah that long before the disaster that forever changed his life occurred. He'd known her as well as he known, say, Aeris, in fact. The young Cetra had died shortly after he'd joined AVALANCHE, and although she'd gotten a second chance at life, that had also only lasted a little over a year. 

Such a waste. 

He was getting on in his years now – had it really been almost two decades. Yes, it had – Quistis and Seifer had been nearly two, the others about one. Such bright, spirited little kids they'd been. Still were, actually. They'd been lucky in war, compared to him and his friends. 

"Cid Highwind?"

The low, growling voice shocked him, and he spun around. He had unconsciously walked to the Front Gate, and now, standing in the entrance, was a lion. For a second he though – but no. This lion was tan and black, not red and brown. And he was larger. Nanaki never had been a very large lion. 

"A Guardian," murmured Cid. 

"I bring you a message from our leader," the Guardian said, walking forward. Cid nodded numbly and held out his hand. The Guardian deposited the message in his hand. "Should you wish to reply, take the new message to the Fire Cavern. There is a small crevice in the rock near the entrance. Place the message there and write my name in the sand beneath the crevice. The wind will not harm it. My name is Tevrow."

"Thank you," Cid said, nodding.

Tevrow nodded, then slunk off into the darkness. 

Cid decided to cut the rest of his walk short, and headed back inside.


	12. Plots of the Sorceress

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twelve: Plots of the Sorceress**

"Hey, does anyone know what's up with Red?" Tifa asked as she entered the Operations Room aboard the Highwind. 

Yuffie shook her head miserably as she sat curled up in the corner of the room. "No," she croaked. "Does anyone know when this darn storm is gonna end?"

"Sorry," Vincent said, not sounding very sorry at all. "The weather stations don't seem to have a clue. It came on suddenly." The tall, dark Turk was leaning against the wall, partially obscured by shadow. 

The sounds of a baby wailing pierced the near silence as a loud clap of thunder practically shook the grounded ship. Barrett grimaced. "Those two are louder than Marlene ever was," he grumbled.

"They've never experienced a storm before, Barrett," Tifa said, smiling. "Aeris told me that they rarely get bad weather in the Promised Land. Anyway – the reason I was asking about Red is because ever since he got back from Costa Del Sol, he's been off in his own world. I'm worried about him."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Vincent said. "He's probably just anxious to get back to the Cosmo Canyon."

Tifa thought about this. It did make sense. Still… "I don't know. It just seems to me that he's keeping something from us." 

"Everyone's entitled to their secrets," Barrett replied. "Holy only knows that we've had several."

"That furball isn't much of a talker, anyway," muttered Yuffie. The wind rocked the Highwind, and she immediately turned green. "'Cuse me." She shot up and ran out of the room, nearly colliding with Cid as he walked in. The foul-mouthed pilot barely reacted, as his attention was focused on the set of blueprints in his hand. All he did was mutter a few obscenities as he laid the prints on the table.

"The ship's not even moving," he grumbled, "and she gets sick. Useless broad. No offense, Tifa."

Tifa rolled her eyes. She'd learned long ago not the take anything Cid said to heart. The man's mouth worked faster than his brain. 

"What'cha got there?" Barrett asked, looking at the blueprints curiously.

"Reeve's starting the Space Program again, and wants me and Shera to come up with a spaceship design. Kinda like those old shuttles, but larger and more advanced. These are just preliminary sketches that we threw together. I was planning on looking at them at Bone Village, but you know that damn story." He stepped back from the papers and looked at his three companions. "What do you think?"

Barrett, Tifa, and Vincent looked at the blueprints curiously. Sketched out was what looked like a truly glorious ship, far more sophisticated in design than the Highwind. "I don't know much about spaceships," Vincent said, "but this looks good to me. What are you going to call it?"

"Shera and I were throwing around names, and I couldn't help thinking about that sword Strife picked up after defeating that Proud Clod thing. You know, Scarlet and Heidegger's little mishap," Cid said. "I figured naming her after the sword would be a slap in those bastard's dead faces, so we're gonna dub her the 'Ragnarok' if Reeve likes the design." 

"Cool," Tifa said, nodding in approval. 

The loudspeaker crackled. "_Hey, Captain!" one of the crew members called. "__You better get up to the bridge! That lady we picked up at Bone Village is having some sort of breakdown!"_

"WHAT?!" Barrett shouted. 

"Come on!" Tifa said, hurrying out the door.

Tifa nearly collided with Cloud as they ran towards the bridge. Cloud mumbled a hurried apology, obviously not even noticing who he'd almost ran over. Tifa was a beat behind him, but feeling slightly stunned from the brush-off, even if it hadn't been intentional. 

Aeris was lying in the middle of the bridge, motionless. In the arms of one of the crew, Seifer was crying loudly, and Quistis was staring at her mother with huge, round eyes. Cloud ran towards Aeris and knelt down next to her in one quick, fluid motion. He grabbed her wrist, and was relieved to feel that she had a strong, albeit slightly fast, pulse. "What happened?" he demanded, looking up at the crew. 

One of the technicians looked slightly nervous. "She was up here, trying to show her babies that there was nothing about the storm to be afraid of. She was standing by the window, and holding the boy. The little girl was standing unsteadily next to her. Then, suddenly, she just sort of stopped talking. The next thing we knew, she was kneeling on the ground, hunched over, screaming words than none of us could understand – it sounded like some lost language or something. We had to pry the boy out of her grip before she crushed him. When we took him from her, she stopped screaming, and just fainted. That's all. I swear."

Cloud nodded and looked at her, lying pale on the cold, metal floor. "Aeris?" he whispered, shaking her slightly. "Aeris, wake up. It's Cloud."

She mumbled something softly, but didn't open her eyes. 

Quistis was trying to climb into Cloud's lap now, and Tifa moved forward to take her. Cloud shook his head and held his daughter. "Aeris, come on, wake up." Quistis started to whimper softly, reaching out a hand towards her mother. Seifer had stopped crying, and was now watching the scene in front of him silently. It was as if he had instinctively known that crying wouldn't help the situation.

Cloud was getting increasingly worried. Aeris' pulse wasn't slowing down. At this rate she would have a heart attack. 

"We should get her to the infirmary," Vincent said. 

"No," Nanaki said, shaking his head. "Look."

Quistis had managed to touch her hand to her mother's face, despite the fact that Cloud was trying to keep her from touching her. As her small fingers pressed against Aeris' cheek, they seemed to glow with a soft, blue light. The light transferred from Quistis' fingers to Aeris' skin, then spread to cover her entire body. As the light spread and grew, Cloud was stunned to feel that Aeris' pulse was slowing down to its regular beat. 

"What's going on?" whispered Tifa, a little frightened. 

"Isn't it obvious?" Cloud replied in awe as he stared at his daughter. "Quistis is using the power of the Cetra to heal Aeris."

"But…but she's only one-fourth Cetra!" Barrett spluttered. "Can she do that?"

"She's doing it, isn't she?" Cid said irritably. "Is the girl okay?"

The blue light had faded, and now Quistis was smiling happily at her mother as Aeris opened her eyes, slightly dazed, but otherwise in perfect condition. "My baby," she whispered, smiling back at her daughter. "Thank you." 

Then she turned to Cloud. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes riveted to hers. 

"The Planet," she replied. "It's in pain, Cloud. Something's hurting it. I think it's the same person who attacked the Promised Land. The Sorceress. And I think…I think she's trying to enter this world." 

"Trying to enter this world?" echoed Tifa, her eyes wide. "What are you talking about, Aeris?" 

Aeris sat up shakily. Cloud wrapped and arm around her shoulders to try and steady her, while he held Quistis with the other arm. The technician holding Seifer held him out, and Aeris took him gratefully. "I'm not certain," she replied. "But I do know that the Planet is in great pain, and after what happened in the Promised Land a few days ago, I believe it's probably connected." She bit her lip. "It's only been a few days…Sephiroth…"

Cloud bit back the sneer of disgust he always had whenever someone mentioned the older man for Aeris' sake. After all, she had married the man. There must have been something about him in the afterlife that no one had seen when he was among the living. "It's okay," he whispered, feeling bad about thinking the way he was. Aeris didn't need that type of attitude right now. "Anything else?"

She shook her head. "Just that the Planet is in pain, and is crying out for help. And I think this storm is part of its cry."

"It's just a storm, Aeris," Yuffie said bluntly. 

Cid looked thoughtful. "Maybe not," he said. He looked at one of the crew members. "You! Get off your lazy ass and call into the local weather station. See if they knew this thing was on its way or not. Even if the damn thing came on quickly, there would've been some kind of fuckin' sign!" 

Aeris frowned at Cid. "The children, Cid." Seifer was staring at the loudmouthed pilot with wide eyes, as if he were absorbing his every word. 

"Sorry," Cid said, not sounding very sorry at all. "Forgot about them."

Barrett snorted in disgust. "Oh, you're real attentive to what goes on in ya ship, aren't ya?" 

Cid gave him a dirty look, then looked at the crew member. "Well?"

"Give me a few minutes to get through," the man said nervously. Having the Captain angry was not something anyone on the Highwind wanted. He was hard enough to deal with when he was in a _good mood._

Everyone waited silently as he spoke with the closest weather station. After a few minutes of listening, he hung up the radio. "No," the man said, shaking his head. "They weren't expecting it. Clear skies and then…boom. A full-blown typhoon. We were pretty lucky we landed in time. Several dozen sea and aircraft have been reported missing, or have been found wrecked."

They all stared at him, then looked at each other. Vincent summed up the situation the best:

"Damn. Here we go again."

As if to agree with him, a crash of thunder sounded from outside, followed by a flash of lightning. 

Sorceress Linra eyed the young man kneeling in front of her. His long hair hung to the floor, lightly caressing the crystalline tiles. He stared at her with bright green eyes, an expression of pure hatred emanating from them. He still wore the clothes he had had when he'd been captured, which were still torn and stained. But now he was awake.

"I grow tired of this," Linra said, taking a draw from the cigarette she held in her hand. She used her magic to dispel the smoke in her system before it reached her lungs. She loved the feeling of smoking, but didn't care to risk lung cancer. So, like most of her kind, she had developed a way to get around it. And she would develop a way to get around the man's silence as well. "What is your name?"

The man stared at some point over her head. Linra glanced up slightly, wondering if there really was something over interest that he'd been staring at since she'd begun her interrogation. But no – it was only a blank wall.

This was infuriating! No respectable male member of the human race – or _any race, come to think of it – had ever ignored her in such a detached and indifferent manner before! She wondered if she should've changed from her form-fitting black minidress into her leather bodysuit (she had quite a few of them, although the one she was picturing left absolutely __nothing to the imagination – even the most restrained of men had fallen before it), then decided that it wasn't her outfit that was causing the problems. _

Obviously, there was something more to it.

Peering at him, she casually opened his mind and searched for the answers that she needed. To her surprise, the man snarled and focused in on her. Immediately, there was a block to her probing. Linra raised one perfectly sculptured eyebrow. So. He wasn't _just a mere mortal, after all. Then she noticed the tiny smirk on his face, and immediately was on her guard. She broke the link, and was startled to find that the connection wasn't terminated completely until a second later. He'd been reading her mind as well!_

"If you want to know the reason I'm not falling for your tricks, just ask. I'll be glad to tell you." the man said, his voice deep and penetrating. It made her heart flutter just listening to it, and that puzzled her. None of her pets had ever made her feel quite this way before.  

His words also puzzled. _So, she thought, __he only read my mind to find out why I was trying to read his. Foolish. If he had that power, he should put it more uses. She'd have to teach him the lessons of ruthlessness, apparently. She smiled as she realized that she looked very forward to those lessons. "Very well. Why aren't you falling for my 'tricks', as you so amicably put it?" She leaned forward, giving him an enticing view down the front of her chest. The man didn't blink, and certainly didn't let his gaze wander from her face. _

"I'm married," he replied. 

Linra pulled back as if she'd been slapped. MARRIED?! So _that explained it! Only those who's hearts belonged to others were immune to her powers of seduction and suggestion. Unless, of course, the 'other' was suddenly erased from the equation. _

The man was silent again, but now wore a smirk. He knew he'd gotten to her. And somehow, he knew how to do it, as well. 

Just who was this man, anyway?


	13. In Search of Seifer

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirteen: In Search of Seifer**

The sun seeped through the drawn blinds of a small studio apartment on the outskirts of Deling City. It wasn't in the best of neighborhoods, but the apartment's owner did her best to make it look presentable. 

Tera Carruthers opened her eyes and rolled over to look at the sleeping young man beside her. His blue-green eyes were closed as he slept, and a few stray strands of pale blonde hair, now streaked with green dye, fell into his face. The long red scar that ran from above his left eye to under his right didn't do anything to change the fact that when he slept, Seifer Almasy looked like a little child. 

Tera smiled and brushed the hair off of his face. "Hey, wake up," she whispered, bringing her face down to his. "It's almost nine o' clock in the morning." 

Seifer mumbled something unrecognizable, and Tera couldn't help laughing. It was no secret to her that her friend wasn't a morning person. She rolled out of bed and tucked the blanket around him, knowing that he'd sleep for at least another half an hour before he pulled himself out of bed. 

Tera and Seifer had met when Tera had gone to Fisherman's Horizon in search of a lead on her family. Her mother had died the year before, and had told Tera that she had a family legacy to inherit. Before her mother had told her what the legacy was, however, she'd fallen into a coma and had never woken from it. Since then, Tera had been determined to trace her family tree and find out what exactly her mother had meant by 'legacy'. She'd hoped to find something in FH, but had come up empty handed. 

Upset and discouraged, she'd gone to the docks to relax. There, she'd met a trio of teenagers a few years older than her. The only girl in the group, named Fujin, had come over to ask her is she had a spare fishing pole. Tera smiled when she remembered the exchange. 

_"Hello," Fujin said, coming over to her. "Do you have a spare pole?"_

_"Pole?" Tera asked, blinking in confusion. _

_"Fishing pole," Fujin clarified. "My brother broke ours." She pointed to a very wet-looking man pulling himself out of the water. Beside him stood another man, wearing a silver-and-white trenchcoat over a blue vest and a pair of tight-fitting black pants. _

_"Sorry," Tera said. "I don't fish."_

_Fujin looked at her strangely. "Then what are you doing at FH?"_

_"It's a long story," replied Tera. _

_The silver-haired woman put her hand on Tera's shoulder. "Well, you look like you could use some cheering up. You want to fish with us?"_

Tera had spent the rest of her week in FH with Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin, and for the first time in her life had found herself making a great group of friends. Before the week was up, she'd found herself confessing her real reasons for being in FH, and Seifer had told her about his posse's involvement in the recent war, and how they were trying to get away from the past for awhile. They'd gone their separate ways after that week, but Tera had still sent a postcard to Seifer's address in FH for the next couple of months. Her last card had been when she'd returned to her apartment in Galbadia, when she'd been forced to give up her search for a period of time so that she could earn some money doing what she loved doing the most – painting. 

Putting some coffee in the coffee pot, Tera pulled out her sketchpad and worked on her current project – a sketch of Seifer, sleeping. She could only work on it in the mornings, though, for obvious reasons. But it gave her a chance to think and focus. 

A few weeks after her last postcard, Seifer had appeared outside of her apartment, minus Fujin and Raijin, which had surprised Tera. He'd explained that they'd returned to Balamb Garden to finish out their education, but Seifer hadn't been ready to do that. While Fujin and Rajin had turned their backs on Garden out of loyalty to Seifer, and then had later changed sides again when they felt that Seifer was being an idiot, Seifer had cold-bloodedly attacked the Garden. 

Tera had welcomed her friend into her home with open arms, although it was cramped. The first few times they'd had to share a bed had been awkward, but now, two months later, they were used to it. Seifer had found that he had some artistic talent, and that he actually enjoyed it, and Tera was helping him develop it. He'd even made some money off of some of his sketches – although no one knew that he'd been the one to do them. His best work was probably when he was drawing from memory – something Tera had trouble doing, and she admired him for it. Biting her lip, she put down her own sketchpad and picked up his, which lay beside her own. She flipped to his most recent completion. It was a drawing of what she assumed to be Balamb Garden, although she'd never actually seen the prestigious military academy. Most of his pictures included _something from there. _

Obviously, Seifer really wanted to go back to the Garden, but he didn't feel like he was worthy of it. It tore Tera apart, seeing him suffer like this. He apparently loved the Garden, the same way that she loved him. And being away from it was slowly killing him. 

"What are you doing?"

Tera looked up, startled. Seifer had woken up early. He was sitting up in bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and looking at her holding his sketchpad. "Just looking," she said, setting the pad down. "I wanted to see what you were working on."

He shrugged. "Just a picture," he replied. "Do I smell coffee?"

She nodded. "I was going to run and get something from the bakery to go with it, but you woke up early. Sleep well?"

"As well as expected," he replied, pulling a T-shirt on over his head and walking over to the small half-kitchen to pour himself something to drink. He grabbed a doughnut from the box on the counter and sat down at the only table in the apartment. Tera came over and sat down across from him. He broke off a piece of the doughnut and offered it to her. 

"Thanks," she said, taking it. "Money's getting pretty tight around here."

"Sorry," he said, looking apologetic. Because he couldn't risk wandering around Galbadia, he could only bring in an income when Tera played agent with some of his work. Since most of his stuff had to do with Balamb, he didn't have much of a repertoire that he felt comfortable selling. Tera had needed to pick up an extra job as a martial arts assistant at a local karate school to make up for it. 

"Did the mail come yesterday?" she asked.

He nodded. "I set it by the door. You didn't see it?"

She stood up and walked over to the pile. "I didn't get in until late last night." Flipping through the letters, her eyes widened as she found what she was looking for. 

"What is it?" Seifer asked, stuffing the rest of the doughnut into his mouth.

"It's from the Galbadian Registry," Tera said, her voice filled with excitement. "I asked them to run a DNA check on people registered in Galbadia and see if they came up with anything close to me. I wonder if they found anything." 

"Open it and see," he said.

She eagerly tore open the letter and scanned the contents. Upon reaching the middle of the letter, her mouth dropped open. "Oh. My. Lord."

Seifer looked at her with concern.

"It says that they found no connection between me and my mother," Tera said numbly. "And they can't figure out who my father is." 

"You're adopted?" Seifer asked, surprised. "I didn't know that."

"I'm _not adopted," Tera said, shaking her head. "At least…I thought my mother was my real mother. And she'd told me that my father had died when I was a baby. But this letter says that I'm not even close to matching their DNA."_

"Does it say anything else?" Seifer asked.

Tera shook her head. "They're still cross-checking their database for any other relatives. I'm supposed to call them at the end of the week." 

"That's rough," Seifer said. He knew what it was like to not know who your family was. "I was an orphan too, you know. Still am, I guess, although the phrase kind of means nothing once you turn eighteen, and I'm nineteen now."

Tera had known that he was an orphan. "Did you ever try to find out who your parents were?"

"Once," Seifer said. "I was thirteen, and I remember asking the Headmaster of Balamb Garden – Cid Kramer – if he'd help me, since I didn't have a clue. He told me to forget about it."

"He told you that?" Tera asked, surprised. Seifer often talked of the Headmaster at Balamb, but the Cid he'd talked about didn't sound as if he'd say something like that.

Seifer shrugged. "Cid and his wife ran the orphanage I grew up in, so I just assumed that he either knew that my parents were definitely dead, or that they weren't the greatest people in the world. I never thought about it again. Balamb became more of a home to me than anything."

"Do you miss it?" she asked, waiting for his response.

He sighed. "Every day," he admitted. "But I know they won't let me back in."

"How will you know unless you try?" she asked.

"Because I just do," he snapped. This was a conversation they had on a weekly basis. "I'm sure nobody in Balamb cares about where I am, Tera. And I'm fine with that."

The look on his face told her differently, but Tera knew better that to carry the conversation any further.

"Bored?"

Irvine Kinneas looked up to see his girlfriend, Selphie Tilmitt, looking at him inquisitively. The two were standing outside the SeeD cabin of the train they were taking to Galbadia, and Irvine had thought that he was paying attention to whatever she was saying. Apparently, he was wrong – he'd somehow managed to let his mind drift off into space. "You have to admit, this isn't the most exciting mission we've ever had," he drawled, grinning lazily at her. "Now, what were you saying?"

Selphie smiled and hooked her arm through his. "According to the time schedule, we'll hit Timber soon. We'll check there, and after that Squall was thinking we'd head over to Galbadia Garden to see if they've heard anything about him. Then we'll skim some of the smaller towns on the way to Deling City."

"Ouch," Irvine said, wincing. "And let's not forget the hundreds of miles of plains and desert. Seifer could be anywhere."

Selphie nodded, and bit her lip as she thought about something. "Irvy?" she asked after a few minutes. 

"Yeah?"

"How do you feel about this? Tracking Seifer, I mean."

Irvine tipped his hat back slightly and sighed. "Well, I didn't know the guy as well as the rest of you. At least, I didn't know the teenage Seifer. I knew the little terrorist at the orphanage, but that was about it. I'm pissed at him for what happened between Galbadia and Balamb Garden, but the Sorceress was more to blame for that than he was. I guess I'm just more worried about Squall in this case. He's resigned himself to following the mission – but the real fireworks'll start if and when we track down Almasy. I get the feeling that what we saw in the Headmaster's office is just a preview of what could really take place."

Selphie winced. "Yippie. Just what we _don't need." She glanced at her watch. "I wonder if there's enough time to call Quisty at Garden. It's too bad she and Zell couldn't come with us."_

"What was it the Headmaster wanted them to do, anyway?" Irvine asked curiously as he turned around and leaned against the wall, facing away from window. 

"Something about maps," Selphie said, shrugging. She brushed a few spots of dirt off of her yellow dress. "Zell didn't say exactly what at the train station."

The familiar chimes of the train speakers quieted them both down. "_The train is approaching Timber," the conductor said. "__All passengers disembarking at Timber, please have your passports ready for stamping as you exit the train, and make sure all of your luggage is collected. Thank you for riding the Trans-Continental Rail, and enjoy your stay in Galbadia. Thank you." The chimes rang again, signaling the end of the message._

_Galbadia, thought Irvine. __I grew up here. This is home. He wondered briefly if he'd be able to get some time off of the mission and go visit his foster family's ranch, but for some reason he didn't feel as excited about the prospect as he should. Strange. Ever since he'd left Balamb, he hadn't been feeling happy or looking forward to entering his home country. He couldn't quite figure out what it was that he was feeling though…_

_Foreboding, he suddenly realized as he followed Selphie into the cabin to get their stuff. __Something's going to happen while we're here. And it's not going to be good._


	14. Enter the Turks

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Fourteen: Enter the Turks**

"President Loire?" 

Reeve looked up from his desk at Elena Helperin, who stood in the doorway. The young Turk looked tired and ready to drop, but she held herself in such a way that showed that she was trying not to let her boss see her fatigue. But Reeve had a lot of practice in recognizing someone who had been working overtime for several days – he'd done it plenty of times himself when he was working for Shinra, Inc. "What is it, Elena? And call me Reeve. We've been over that."

Elena smiled slightly. "I just wanted to let you know that we've finally gotten the reporters away from the building. They're still out on the streets, though, trying to dig up as much information as possible."

"Thanks," Reeve said, nodding. His phone rang. "Just a minute. There's something I want to talk to you about." He reached for the phone and picked it up. "Neo-Shinra, Reeve Loire speaking."

"_Reeve, it's Vincent," Vincent Valentine's voice crackled over the line. "__How many Turks are with you right now?" _

Reeve raised his eyebrows. "Elena's standing right in front of me, and I think Reno and Rude are taking their breaks. What's going on, Vincent?"

"_We just had a somewhat nasty turn in events. Is this a secure line?"_

"Where are you, Vincent?"

"_On the PHS, outside Cosmo Canyon. We just arrived this morning. The storm last night delayed us."_

"I managed to make it back to HQ before it got nasty," Reeve said. "Yes, we're secure on this end. Go ahead."

"_I need you to arrange for the Turks to go to Nibelheim and Icicle Village. They're to gather as much information on the Cetra, the Promised Land, Sephiroth, JENOVA, and Hojo as possible."_

"Vincent, didn't we go through all of that a year ago?" Reeve asked, frowning. Elena looked at him curiously, then motioned to see if she should leave. Reeve shook his head and held up his hand, motioning for her to wait. "What's going on?"

"_None of us are certain, but Aeris has been listening to the Planet since that storm."_

"Be truthful with me, Vincent," Reeve said warningly. It was usually next to impossible to extract information out of the tightlipped Turk, but the one exception was when Vincent received an order from his boss. And Reeve happened to be that boss. 

"_We think that whatever destroyed the Promised Land – or whoever – is trying to come into this world. Get Elena, Reno, and Rude on the place now, Reeve. Two to each. We're covering Cosmo Canyon."_

"Two to each? There are only three of them."

"_There's a rookie who joined up last month – Elena knows who she is. I've talked to her on a couple of occasions, and she seems to have a good head on her shoulders. Have her help them out. I'll contact you when we've got more information. Good-bye, Reeve."_

"'Bye, Vincent," Reeve said. He hung up the phone and looked at Elena. _Why did that 'good-bye' sound so final? _

"What's up?" Elena asked, frowning. "Was that Vincent?"

Reeve nodded. "He's issued you a new mission, and I'm approving it. It'll be up to you to get the message to Reno and Rude. You're to go to Icicle Inn and Nibelheim to look for information on everything we encountered last year – JENOVA, the Promised Land, Cetra, Sephiroth, Hojo…and anything else that might have a connection. Shinra Mansion and Professor Gast's old home should have the answers."

"All three of us, or do we split up?" Elena frowned. "But then we'd be uneven."

"Split up," Reeve said. "Vincent said to get one of the rookies involved as well, so you'd be two to each team. A girl who joined up a month ago. He said you'd know her."

Elena looked thoughtful. "Let's see – last month I was responsible for recruitment, and we ended up bringing in quite a few people, including about five girls. But I think I know who he's talking about."

"How can you be so sure?" Reeve wondered. 

The blonde Turk smiled mischievously. "I've caught them talking once or twice. And if I'm not mistaken, I think our friend Vincent might finally be getting his head out of the gutter and realizing that there _are other members of the female species aside from that woman who left him for Hojo. I'll go talk to her, and I'll pass the word on to Reno and Rude."_

Reeve nodded. "Elena?"

Elena paused in the doorway. "Yes?"

"This girl – can she be trusted? You have to tell her that she can't discuss this with anyone outside of the five of us and the rest of AVALANCHE." Reeve stroked his beard worriedly. "You have to make that absolutely clear."

"Don't worry, Reeve," Elena said. "From what I know about her, she's trustworthy. She's got no reason not to be." 

Reeve sighed. "Okay. I'll arrange for transport at noon. Will that give you enough time?"

"You can count on us, President Loire," Elena replied, slipping back into 'professional' mode. "We'll take care of it."

Reeve watched her go, and slumped down in his seat when the office door closed behind her. _But how can you take care of 'it', Elena, when we don't even know what 'it' is?_

The helicopter flew towards Nibelheim, the whirring of its rotors the only sound that filled the ears of its four passengers. Elena leaned back in her seat and looked around her. Across from her sat Reno and Rude. The two Turks were quiet, which was usual from Rude, but unusual for Reno. The red-haired Turk seemed to be lost in his thoughts. No doubt he was as unthrilled as Elena about the prospect of dredging up the memories of the events of the past year. Her heart ached as she thought about it. _Oh, Tseng…_

She shook her head, forcing herself not to go down that road again. It had been over a year since Tseng's death at the hands of Sephiroth, and it was finally starting to be easier to think about him. But a few months after the final battle, it hadn't been that easy. Elena ran her finger along the wrist of her left hand, gently tracing the scar that marred the skin. At the time, she'd been pissed at Reno, Rude, and Reeve for finding her and taking her to the hospital, but now she was grateful to them. Life was short enough _without having to make in even shorter yourself. _

"Um…how much longer until we reach Nibelheim?" a soft, uncertain voice asked from beside Elena. 

Elena looked over at the girl who was sitting next to her. Short auburn hair framed a pale face and wide green eyes, giving her an appearance of being a few years younger than she actually was. But looks could be deceiving. Elena had seen the girl training in the Neo-Shinra gymnasium, and she was a skilled martial artist and gymnast. Her choice of weapon, a crossbow, was sitting on the seat next to her. Catherine Carruthers was the youngest Turk on the force, and Elena was damn proud that she'd made it as far as she had. The girl was only a rookie, but she would doubt claim a berth in the Specials section – the section with currently consisted of just four Turks: Elena herself, Vincent Valentine, Reno McLean, and Rude Gilbert. 

"It shouldn't be much further," Elena told the younger girl. "Thanks for agreeing to come with us."

Catherine shrugged. "When someone gives you orders, you can't disagree. Especially if that someone is your boss, and he's being backed by the president of the company you work for. So…what _is Vincent up to, anyway?" She tried not to seem too interested, and Elena hid a smile behind the palm of her hand. _

"Something classified," Rude said from across them. "Hopefully you won't have to find out what." He exchanged a glance with Elena, and the blonde woman nodded – no need to get Catherine involved in this anymore than they had to. 

"But this research thing…it's important?" Catherine looked at the two of them uncertainly. 

"Damn straight," Reno said, rousing himself from his thoughts. "If Valentine says it's important, it's important. It wouldn't surprise me at all if this starts leading back to the JENOVA incident last year."

Catherine's eyes widened, and Rude and Elena both glared at Reno. "Keep your mouth shut," Elena hissed. "We don't know that, and this isn't a classified helicopter. Who knows who could be listening?!" Reeve had wanted to put them on a more secure transport, but the Turks had all agreed that going on a civilian chopper would rouse less suspicions and  less hostility from the locals at Nibelheim and Icicle Inn.

Reno shrugged. "Okay, so how're we splitting up? I know Reeve said two at Nibelheim, two at Icicle Inn, but who's going where?" 

"It doesn't matter to me," Rude replied. 

"What can we expect at either place?" Catherine asked.

"Icicle Inn's up north, where it's wet and cold," Elena said. "Shinra Mansion in Nibelheim, which is the current destination, is really creepy, and has a lot more books. It depends on your preference – hanging out in the snow, or hanging out with the ghosts."

"Creepy, old, and haunted?" Catherine said, looking amused. "Sounds like my kind of place. I'm up for the Mansion." 

"You're a lot braver than I am," muttered Elena. "I'll take Icicle Inn. Just keep me away from the snowboarders."

Reno and Rude nodded, then looked at each other. "Play you for it," Reno said. Rude nodded in agreement. The two of them held up their fists. Elena and Catherine leaned forward to watch. 

"Rock! Paper! Scissors!" 

Reno formed a pair of scissors with his hands, while Rude maintained a fist. "Aw, man!" Reno complained. "Looks like I've got the manse. Lucky bastard."

Rude managed a slight smile – which was as close to a full smile as anyone ever got out of him. 

Reno sighed and turned around in his seat, leaning towards the pilot. "Agent Carruthers and I will be getting out at Nibelheim. Then you take Agent Helperin and Agent Gilbert to Icicle Inn. Got it?"

"Got it," the pilot said. "Please buckle up now…we're beginning our approach." 

Reno turned back around and tightened the buckle on his seatbelt. "Here we go."


	15. Second Encounter

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Fifteen: Second Encounter**

"Hey, Quistis, wake up. Time to get to work."

Quistis Trepe groggily opened her eyes and looked up from the fold-out couch she'd been sleeping on. Zell Dincht was standing next to the bed, one foot propped up on the edge so that he could tie his shoe. He was already showered and dressed, and ready for the day. "What time is it?" she mumbled.

"About ten o' clock," Zell said. "I only got up an hour ago. I was going to run to the library and pick up some stuff, then swing by the bakery for breakfast. Ma's at the Smith's house, taking care of their kids while Mr. Smith takes Mrs. Smith to the hospital. Looks like she's going to have twins again."

"Oh, yea," Quistis muttered, sitting up. "I'm just glad your mother's baby-sitting, and not us. Are you sure the library has what we need?"

"Already called and checked," Zell replied. "They're getting it together right now. A friend of the family works there, so we're getting special permission to check out some of the reference materials. I figured it'd be easier to work here than there." He grimaced. "Besides which, Leslie's much less likely to come hunting for me in my own home."

"Relax, Zell," Quistis said as she pulled back the covers and stood up, her blonde hair falling into her face. "Leslie probably doesn't even realize you're not at Garden right now. Where're the towels?"

"In the closet next to the bathroom," Zell replied. "I'll see you in a few minutes."

"'Bye," Quistis said as she rooted through her overnight bag and pulled out a clean change of clothes. She'd selected a sleeveless blue top and a pair of white slacks instead of her usual ensemble because the city of Balamb tended to have strange temperature fluctuations. It wasn't climate controlled like Garden. Making a mental note to give the Headmaster a call after her shower, she stepped into the bathroom and began to remove the nightgown that she'd slept in. 

When the water was running steadily, Quistis stepped inside and sighed as the hot streams of water hit her aching shoulders. She and Zell had stayed up well past midnight working on the maps, only to discover that they _still didn't have everything they needed. But they had made a bit of progress. They had discovered that the ruins of Old Midgar were probably located in the Esthar region – not that they would do any good there, considering that the maps indicated that they were somewhere __beneath the city itself. Still, if they needed more information, they could probably contact Squall's father. Laguna was always ready and willing to help out the Gardens. _

The other good news was that they had an approximation on the location of the Lifestream break in Old Mideel. While there was no doubt that the Lifestream had probably retracted over the hundreds of years since that time, the crevice that it had been left with probably still remained. Using common sense, Zell had determined that it had most likely filled with water, creating a large lake. And the only two lakes that fit the bill were Opal Lake in Galbadia and the Great Salt Lake in Esthar. Since the Lifestream wasn't located _that close to Midgar, they figured that it was probably Opal Lake. _

"If only there were some way to be certain," muttered Quistis as she massaged the shampoo into her hair. She felt certain that the Lifestream was a vital part in discovering where the City of the Ancients had been. The problem was that so much time had passed, and the geography of the world had changed considerably. They couldn't go by distance, because the distance between places had changed. 

When she was done, Quistis stepped out of the shower and wrapped a fluffy pink towel around her, then grabbed her comb and began running it through her loose hair. She thought about leaving it loose to dry, and decided against it and rummaged through her makeup case to find a hair tie. None of her friends had ever seen her with her hair down, and besides, it always got in her face. 

Quistis straightened up and prepared to tie her hair back when she froze. 

Standing directly behind her in the mirror was the young woman in the pink dress that she'd seen in the elevator. 

Quistis spun around, but there was no one there. She turned back to the mirror.

The woman was still there. She looked at Quistis, the same sad smile that had been on her face before still there. 

"Who are you?" Quistis asked, trembling slightly. She had to be hallucinating. This couldn't be real. 

The woman shook her head, then stepped closer to Quistis. Quistis felt a slight chill on her bare skin, but nothing else. "What do you want?" she asked, trying to maintain her composure. 

The woman began to fade. "Wait!" Quistis exclaimed, turning around, forgetting that the woman was visible only in the mirror. "Tell me what you want!" 

_Revenge, a soft whisper said in her ear, so soft that it could've been mistaken for the wind. But there was no wind in the bathroom._

When Quistis looked in the mirror again, the woman was gone.

Zell whistled softly as he walked towards the Balamb Library. Since it was still fairly early in the morning, there weren't that many people out. It also happened to be a very nice day. 

"Hey, Jake," Zell said to the librarian behind the counter when he entered the building. "Did you manage to find what I needed?"

Jake nodded and lifted a box out from behind the counter. "You need help carrying that, kid, or can you make it on your own?"

Zell grinned and easily lifted up the box. "I think I can handle it. Thanks, Jake."

"Anytime," Jake replied. "Hey, how's your mom doing?"

"Just fine," Zell said. "I'll tell you said hi." The older man had been after Mrs. Dincht for a date for quite some time, and personally, Zell didn't have anything against it. His mom needed a break, anyway. 

Just as he stepped out of the building, his cell phone went off. Sighing, Zell managed to perch the box on his hip while he flipped open the phone with his free hand. "Zell Dincht," he said.

"Zell?" It was Quistis, and she sounded really shaken. "Can you come back? Now?"

"Quisty?" Zell asked, frowning. "What's wrong?"

"Just…please, come back," Quistis said. "It happened again."

"What happened again?" Zell asked. Then it dawned on him. "You mean…"

"Just come back," Quistis said abruptly. "I don't want to be alone right now." She hung up the phone quickly. 

Zell muttered something under his breath, then walked back into the library. "Jake? Could you have someone deliver these back to my house? I need to get back there quickly, and it'll just slow me down." Jake nodded, and Zell sprinted out of the library.

If there was one thing Zell prided himself on, it was his speed and agility. He managed to make it through most of downtown Balamb without running into anybody or tripping over his own two feet. Reaching his house, he pulled open the door and hurried inside. 

"Quistis?" he called. 

"In here," he heard her reply from the bathroom.

Zell stood in the doorway of the bathroom and looked at Quistis. She still wore the towel that she'd wrapped around herself after her shower, and her wet hair hung down around her shoulders. The only sign that she'd even left the bathroom was that the portable phone was resting on the counter. She was sitting on the edge of the tub, staring numbly at the mirror. 

"What happened?" he asked, coming over and sitting beside her. 

"It was her," Quistis said softly. "The same woman, from the elevator. And she had the same sad smile on her face."

"Did she say anything?" Zell asked. 

Quistis nodded. "I think…it sounded like 'revenge'. But she didn't actually move her mouth or anything." She rubbed her bare arms, and Zell could already see goosebumps on them. "Zell, I'm scared. Why is this happening? What is going on?"

"I don't know," Zell said truthfully, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. 

"You do believe me, don't you?" Quistis looked at him hopefully.

He smiled. "Of course I do. You're not the type to make things like this up, and besides, you're too worked up over it for it _not to be real." Then his smile vanished, and he frowned thoughtfully. "You know, this might be kind of far-fetched but…what if this is related to whatever's going on with the Headmaster? This didn't start until after he assigned us to this map thing, right?" She nodded. "And he was pretty vague when you told him about the first time, right?" Again, she nodded. "Then I think it's pretty clear that we need to sit down and have a talk with the Headmaster __soon. Before something worse happens." _

Quistis stared at him in surprise. It wasn't like Zell to be so serious. But then, he'd been getting that way a lot lately. As if he'd finally started to grow up. "Okay," she said, nodding. "But could you do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Get out of the bathroom so I can get dressed."

Zell laughed. "Sure thing. But I'm going to be right outside the door – just in case." 

"Good." 

Tera walked calmly down the busy streets of Deling City, a wrapped canvas under her arm and a bag of art supplies in the other hand. Seifer had told her that he was ready to begin the painting of one of his sketches, so while he took care of some of the chores around the house, she went shopping. 

Suddenly something out of the corner of her eye made her stop. It was a news broadcast, from Timber. There wasn't anything particularly exciting about a news broadcast from Timber, but that wasn't what made her stop.

It was the bold, red letters across the screen. 

**MISSING: Seifer Almasy.**

Tera hurried up to the window that the television was broadcasting in, and strained to hear it. Finally, she yelled into the shop for the volume to be turned up. 

"We've got it playing in here!" the shopkeeper replied. Tera hurried inside. "It's something about that guy Almasy. You know, the one who nearly turned to world over to that Sorceress lady?"

Tera nodded. "It's been a year. What's with the Missing?"

"Well, listen," the shopkeeper said. The reporter was back on.

"_Arriving today from Balamb Garden was a group of four SeeDs – Squall Leonheart, Rinoa Heartilly, Selphie Tilmitt, and Irvine Kinneas. As you may remember, they are four of the six SeeDs who stopped the Sorceress one year ago._

"_At the request of Balamb Headmaster Cid Kramer, an APB has been put out by the SeeDs for the capture and return of Seifer Almasy, a refugee from Balamb Garden who has been missing for over a year."_

"Refugee, my ass," muttered the shopkeeper. "The guy's a terrorist!" 

"_Squall Leonheart, who is commanding this search mission, has asked us to stress the necessity of Almasy being alive__, if this is at all possible. If anyone has any information on Seifer Almasy, call the Timber Police Department at 555-4712."_

The shopkeeper rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. They'll get _tons of calls – from quacks, wackos, and nutjobs. What makes them think this guy is in Galbadia? If I were him, I wouldn't set foot in this country."_

Tera bit her lip. "Can I borrow your phone?" she asked. 

"Sure." He pointed to a room in the back. Just then a customer came in, and he turned his attention to him. Tera smiled in thanks and walked into the back room, closing the door softly behind her. 

5-5-5-4-7-1-2. The numbers were burned into her memory as she typed them quickly.

_Forgive me, Seifer._


	16. Collapse!

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Sixteen: Collapse!**

"Did you contact Reeve?" Cloud asked as he entered the Command Room in the Highwind. Vincent was just closing up the PHS and sliding it back into his coat. 

"Yes," Vincent said, nodding. "He'll send Elena, Reno, Rude, and a rookie named Catherine to Icicle Inn and Nibelheim. How's Red?"

"Good, all things considering," Cloud replied, sliding into a chair next to Vincent. "There are still a lot of memories of Bugenhagen here, of course, but I think having a purpose and the rest of us here is helping. He hasn't been in the observatory since Bugenhagen's death."

Vincent nodded. He knew all too well the fear and longing that came with the end of a loved one. The fear that all others you cared for would leave you as well, and the longing for the one who was no longer there. He felt it all the time, with Lucrecia. And he suspected that Cloud had felt it for Aeris. "The children?"

"Sleeping, now," Cloud replied. "Yuffie's with them. Aeris decided it would be better if she helped Red with the research. Barrett's wandering around, off in his own little world, and Cid's hooked up to Rocket Town and Shera through the computers, going over the plans for that new spaceship of theirs."

"The Ragnarok," Vincent said, nodding. "I got a look at the plans. It's a beauty."

"Yes," Cloud agreed. He eyed Vincent uncertainly. "What's going on, Vincent? You're not normally this talkative."

Vincent blinked. "Nothing's going on," he said. "I guess…well, it's been more than a year since I was released from my sleep. I suppose life is beginning to affect me, that's all." 

"Hmm," was all Cloud said. He wasn't completely buying that. But if Vincent didn't want to tell anyone what he was thinking, then he didn't. And Cloud had learned to accept that a long time ago. 

"Cloud?"

"Yes?" He looked at Vincent. The older man seemed troubled by something. 

"Did you…feel anything, just now?"

"Why do you mean?"

Vincent frowned, and shook his head slightly as if to clear it. Then he looked at Cloud through thick black bangs that had drifted into his eyes. "A…disturbance. Like something was here…that wasn't supposed to be."

"I didn't feel anything. You said 'was'?"

"It's gone now." Vincent glanced nervously over at a corner of the room. "If it was ever really here." 

Aeris softly closed the leather-bound book that was open on her lap. "Nanaki?"

Nanaki looked up. Out of all the members of AVALANCHE, Aeris was the only one who ever referred to him by his given name. She was also the only one who knew exactly who and what he was. "Yes?"

"Is something bothering you?" she asked in her eerie, all-knowing way. Sometimes it frightened him, the way she seemed to know exactly what was going on. 

"No," he said, hesitantly. "I'm just worried about what's going on, is all. The Planet – it's restless, isn't it?"

"Yes," Aeris said, nodding. "And so are you."

Nanaki sighed and padded over to her. "Do you want the long story or the short story?"

"It doesn't matter," she replied. 

"On my way back from Costa Del Sol, I ran into a pack of strange monsters attacking a young woman," Nanaki replied. "I was in my human guise at the time."

"Oh?" Aeris was surprised. "You haven't used that in awhile."

"You've never seen me in it – how did you know?" Nanaki asked.

She smiled. "The Planet told me."

_Oh, he thought. __Of course. The Planet always keeps an eye on her Guardians. "I defended the girl, but she fought her fair share of the demons. They weren't ordinary monsters, I could tell. I bit one of them." He shuddered at the memory. "It tasted…dead. As if it had been dead for a long time."_

Aeris paled considerably. Nanaki didn't notice.

"The girl thanked me then, by my true name," Nanaki said, "not Red XIII, which is how the news broadcasts portrayed me. Then she said she hoped to meet me again in the future. She left then, but when I tried to chase after her, there was no sign of her."

"Was there anything about her that disturbed you?" Aeris asked, sounding as if she were only half listening now. 

"Not disturbing, really," Nanaki said. "More like…belonging, really. Like I was supposed to follow her, to stay with her. I don't know why. But it…frightened me. Made me nervous."

Aeris nodded. 

And then it happened. 

The ground started to shake. 

The air turned thick and misty. 

A loud, drawn-out, echoing scream filled the room. 

The Ancient and the Guardian covered their ears the best they could, but they could not block out the Planet's terrified cries. 

Tifa was standing on the deck of the Highwind, looking out at the ocean. The minute the shaking began, she spun around and stared at Cosmo Canyon.

Then screamed as the entire community caved in on itself and disappeared in a shower of dust and stone. 

Cloud sprinted out of the Command Center, Vincent hot on his heels. The two of them pounded up the stairs to the deck to see what had happened.

Tifa was leaning against the railing, her mouth wide open, as if she was still trying to scream but couldn't utter any sound. Cloud ran to her and wrapped his arms around her, pushing her face into his chest to draw her away from the sight. He kissed her head gently, eyes riveted to the rubble in front of them. 

Vincent stared, completely stunned at what he saw. Cosmo Canyon was a pile of rubble. It had completely caved into itself for some reason unknown. The dust was settling now, showing absolutely nothing that resembled what it had been. "What happened?" he whispered hoarsely.

A startled gasp echoed behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Yuffie, holding Seifer in her arms and Quistis by her hand, standing there. Both children were staring. Quistis was literally shaking.

Vincent spun around and grabbed the little girl, lifting her up and pushing her face into his chest much like Cloud had done with Tifa, turning her away from the sight. The child knew her mother was in that disaster. "Yuffie, get Seifer down below," he commanded. 

"No," she said. "No." It took him a minute to realize that she hadn't even heard him. She was just responding to the horror she was seeing. 

"Vincent," Cloud said, "get Reeve on the phone. Tell him what happened. Pull the Turks from Icicle Inn and Nibelheim. We need rescue efforts. Now."

Tifa sobbed and clutched her boyfriend. "She can't!" she cried. "She can't!" 

Cloud stroked Tifa's hair. "She's not. We haven't gained her just to lose her. And Red'll be fine, too. We just need to get to them. They're right down there, waiting for us."

"Why?" Cid had joined them, and was already working on rolling down the ladder to get to the ground. "Why'd this happen? I felt that tremor. It couldn't have been a normal fucking earthquake. Normal earthquakes don't fucking cause an entire community to collapse. And it wasn't just the fucking city, it was the damn rocks around it. Damn it, I don't fucking think anyone could survive that. Damn it…"

"CID!" Cloud barked, glaring at the loud-mouthed pilot. "Stop it." Tifa had started to sob louder, listening to Cid, and little Quistis had started to whimper as well. Vincent tightened his hold on the girl as he spoke sharply into the PHS.

"Yes, you heard me, Reeve," he said softly. "Cosmo Canyon has been destroyed, just like the City of the Ancients. We need back-up. Red and Aeris were inside the Canyon. We need to get them – HEY!"

The uncharacteristic shout was the result of Cloud springing up and grabbing the PHS out of Vincent's hand. "Reeve? Cloud. How much influence do you have in Mideel? Junon? Bone Village? Wutai? Okay, here's what you need to do. Evacuate. Yes, you heard me. Evacuate. I don't know, tell them something. Just evacuate. Now." He hung up immediately and prepared to climb down the unraveled ladder.

"What was that about?" Barrett demanded. He had arrived just in time to catch Cloud's "conversation" with Reeve.

"Vincent said it. Cosmo Canyon went down like the City of the Ancients. There are several other places that are connected to both of these places in one way or another. Many are populated. They need to be evacuated."

"You don't think Cosmo Canyon is going to be the last to go down?" Yuffie asked, shaking slightly. 

"Right now, all I'm thinking about is getting Aeris and Red back," Cloud said. "Come on." He grabbed the ladder and began climbing as fast as he could.

"Bitch." 

Linra paused from her crystal gazing to look at her prisoner. The man was kneeling in the bottom of his cage, dressed in the black and silver outfit she had given him. His long silver hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he looked much better than he had when he'd first arrived. "What?" she asked innocently. 

Sephiroth said nothing else. He couldn't see what Linra could see in the crystal – the ruins of Cosmo Canyon – but Sephiroth could feel his wife's fear and worry. Fear that the small air pocket that she and the Guardian were trapped in would collapse from the strain of the rest of the Canyon pushing down on the beams over their heads, and worry that even if Strife and the others could reach them, the Guardian would die before they made it. 

And he could feel his son's confusion. _Seifer, Sephiroth thought, __don't worry. Mommy will be fine. I will do everything in my power to make sure that happens. In response to his thoughts, he felt the baby relax. Sephiroth had always had a psychic connection to his son, and he'd maintained a link with the little boy ever since he'd woken up and found himself in Linra's clutches. _

He also knew that Quistis had to be even more scared that Seifer. She was older, after all, and could also feel her mother's thoughts. It always frightened her when her mother was scared. Sephiroth wished he could comfort the sweet little girl, his adopted daughter. 

But for now, he was trapped within this hellish place. He stood and gripped the bars on the cage tightly, but they refused to budge. Growling under his breath, he kicked the bars, then retreated to his corner farthest from Linra. He didn't want to be near that witch. 

Linra watched him with amusement. "Why do you try and hide it?" she asked. "I know you crave me. No man has even been able to resist me. And once that woman of yours is out of the way, you will have to reason to run from me. Why don't you just accept your role as my Knight and let things follow destiny?" 

Sephiroth shuddered at the predatory look in her eyes. "Go to hell," he snapped. "I'm sure your parents miss you there." 

Linra narrowed her eyes. "You _will become the Sorceress' Knight!" she growled. "Mark my words, Sephiroth Almasy. You __will become mine. Nothing will stand in the way of __that."_

Sephiroth closed his eyes. _Yes, he thought. __There is one thing. I don't have a choice. I'm going to need help._

_Cloud Strife, you're my only hope. _


	17. Surprise

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Seventeen: Surprise**

_Knock, knock. _

Seifer groggily opened his eyes. Somehow, he'd fallen asleep at the kitchen table. He glanced at the clock, and was surprised to see that it was at least eight hours since he'd last looked at the clock. "I must've been more tired than I thought," he muttered, glancing in a mirror and patting down his hair. "I wonder where Tera is." She'd gone out to go shopping…and he was pretty sure that he'd have woken up if she'd returned. 

_Knock, knock._

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he  groaned. He grabbed the pair of sunglasses of the counter and slide them on, then made sure that the green hair dye hadn't washed out during his last shower. He never left the apartment, but it was necessary that they not take any chances. The glasses hid his aquamarine eyes, and the green streaks in his chin-length hair made him lose some of the edge his appearance often gave off. 

_Knock! Knock!_

"Shut up, already, I'm coming! Give me a second!" He rummaged under the bedcovers for the shirt he'd thrown there and pulled it over his head, then stopped and stood in the middle of the room. For some reason, he had a strange feeling about opening the front door. Something was telling him that he should, but also warning him to be careful. Seifer bit his lip. He hadn't felt that foreboding feeling for a long time. 

His mind flashed back the dream he'd been having. He couldn't remember most of it, just the last words that he'd heard before the knocking had woken up. 

The speaker had definitely said _Cloud Strife. _

But Seifer, even though he knew that, had unconsciously replaced that name so that all he heard was, _Squall Leonheart, you're my only hope._

Seifer shook his head. "This is nuts." 

_KNOCK! KNOCK! **KNOCK!******_

"CUT IT OUT!" he shouted, stalking over to the door. "Gods, can't a guy get any sleep in his own home anymore? Relax!" 

He fumbled with the safety lock, the chain lock, and the lock on the doorknob before he tried to open it. It stuck fast, but he continued to tug on it. 

It wasn't until a split second before he opened it that he remembered that he'd forgotten to cover up his scar, the one thing that would give away his identity to even to most ignorant of people. 

The door flew open. 

Seifer stared.

Standing in front of him, all 5'8" of him, was the last person he'd ever thought to see. Funny that he had been thinking about him just a minute earlier. Seifer blinked, certain that this had to be a mistake. Maybe this was just a guy who _looked like him…_

No, it was him. The scar – the one that nearly matched his own – was proof of that. 

"Squall," Seifer whispered hoarsely. 


	18. Sorceress' Knight Found

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Eighteen: Sorceress' Knight Found**

"Squall," Seifer whispered hoarsely. 

Squall, for his own part, was speechless. He'd been expecting Seifer to answer the door, of course – the girl on the phone had said that he never left the apartment. But he hadn't expected his old enemy to look so different. Seifer didn't look like the arrogant bastard that he'd known back at Garden. It wasn't just the green-streaked hair, now slightly longer than it had been, or the sunglasses – it was the way he carried himself. His entire demeanor seemed to have completely changed. Squall had been ready for a fight when he had knocked on the door, but now that resolve completely vanished. 

This was not the same Seifer Almasy whom he hated more than anything in the world. 

"Seifer," Squall said, his gaze never wavering from the older man. 

Seifer glanced around nervously, then grabbed Squall's arm and yanked him inside. He closed the door behind them. "Don't say my name in public," he hissed. "No one knows I'm here except for my roommate." 

"Tera Carruthers?" Squall asked.

"How did you –" Suddenly realization dawned on him, and he sat down on the edge of the bed, the closest piece of furniture in the room. He hadn't had a chance to fold it back into the couch yet. "She called you, didn't she." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

"We've been looking for you," Squall said. 

"We?" Seifer repeated. He sighed, the motioned to a chair opposite the bed. "Sit. You standing there is really freaking me out, Squall. No offense, but I was kind of expecting to never see your face again. So. Why have you been looking for me? Is there a specific reason, or are you people at Garden just too bored in this time of peace that you need to get your kicks by harassing the most wanted – and not in a good way, unfortunately – man in the world?" His words were laced with heavy sarcasm as he pulled off his sunglasses and tossed them onto a table. Now he looked a bit more like the old Seifer, and Squall felt more relaxed. He could handle the old Seifer. 

"I don't know," Squall replied. 

Seifer found this incredibly amusing. "You don't _know?" he laughed. "What, did some voice in your dreams just tell you to track me down or something?" Then, remembering the voices in his own dreams, he hoped that Squall wouldn't answer in the affirmative. That would be too weird. _

"Actually, it was the Headmaster's orders," Squall said. 

"Ah. So you're just here 'cause he commanded you to be here," Seifer said knowingly. "Well, you found me. Now what?"

"You're to come back to Balamb Garden with us," Squall replied, looking like he didn't really want to be saying those words. 

"No shit?" Seifer arched an eyebrow and looked at Squall. "What, the Headmaster wants to formally congratulate me on nearly destroying the world or something?" He laughed, a humorless sound. 

"I don't know," Squall repeated. "The Headmaster wouldn't tell us anything. Quistis and Zell might have a better idea, since they're still at Garden doing research for Cid, but the rest of us don't have a clue."

And therein lay the answer to Sefier's next question. "So, 'we' would be you, the cowboy, and Little Miss Too-Much-Sugar," he said. _Why doesn't that surprise me? At least Chicken-wuss isn't here. _

"And Rinoa," replied Squall.

Seifer almost choked. _Oh. Damn. Why. Me? "So, she's still hanging around you." He tucked a loose strand of blonde hair behind his ear and stared at Squall. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just throw you out of here now." _

"Because if you did, then this whole city would know they've been harboring a fugitive for the past two months," Squall said in the exact same tone of voice – low and dangerous. "You don't want that, Seifer. I don't want that. So throw some decent clothes on, cover up that scar, put on the sunglasses, pack up whatever you need, and let's get the hell out of here. Because the sooner we get back the Balamb, the sooner I can find out what the hell is going on, and then I can decide whether or not I need to kick your ass again. Got it?" 

Seifer blinked. This was not the uncertain SeeD cadet that he had known. Squall had changed just as much as Seifer had in the past year. 

He debated what he should do. He could throw Squall out and expose himself to the entire city. He could agree to go along with Squall, then make a clean getaway when he had a chance. Or he could do exactly what Squall said, and go back to Balamb to find out what the hell was going on. Because somehow he knew…_knew…that this was all connected to those freaky dreams he'd been having. _

In the end, there wasn't much of a choice at all. After all, there was nothing else left for him here. And he had no other place to go. 

Tera had ratted him out. 

Seifer stood up and pulled out his suitcase from the closet. He threw in some clothes and other necessities, a couple of books, and then, as an afterthought, his sketchpad and a case of pencils. Then he paused, took out the pad and pencils, and tossed them into the trash. He wouldn't be drawing again anytime soon. 

Tera had ratted him out.

So once again, Seifer Almasy had only one choice: walk away from the past, and take the future as it came to him, one day at a time.

"Please tell me you have something." 

Zell looked up at Quistis, his pleading tone making her lose her concentration for the umpteenth time. "Zell!" Quistis said, exasperated. "Would you calm down? I didn't have anything ten minutes ago, thirty minutes ago, an hour ago, or _two hours ago! And I won't have anything at all tonight if you don't quit interrupting me every time I think I've finally made a dent in this mess! What about you? Haven't __you found anything?" _

Zell pouted. "I'm not good at this sort of stuff, Quisty," he said, leaning back on his bed  and folding his arms over his chest. He glanced at the clock. "Hyne, we've wasted a lot of time. It's almost eight o' clock at night. Do you have clearance to spend another night out of Garden?"

"Yes," Quistis replied. "I called the Headmaster while you were taking lunch over to your mom."

"Did you tell him about the…you know what?" Zell asked, keeping his voice low. His mother was right downstairs, having finally come home after being stuck at the neighbors' all day. He didn't want her to know that Quistis was seeing what they had both taken to calling a ghost. 

"No," Quistis replied, sighing. "He wasn't in a very good mood. I could tell." 

"I wonder what's gotten him all worked up," muttered Zell. 

_Briiinnnngggg! _

"Zell! Get the phone!" Ma Dincht called from the kitchen.

Zell sighed and grabbed his extension. "Moshi moshi, Dincht residence. Zell speaking." Quistis watched with interest as Zell's eyes widened, and he groaned silently. She could tell by the expression who it was. 

"Leslie, I know I haven't been to Garden for the past day or so," Zell said, calmly shredding a piece of paper as he balanced the phone between his ear and shoulder. "I've been on an assignment from the Headmaster. Yes, research. That thing I was doing in the library. Balamb had a better library. No, there's nothing you can do to help. Quistis and I have everything under control." He rolled his eyes. "No, _Quistis. Q-U-I-S-T-I-S. Yes, the one who used to be an Instructor." He grinned at Quistis, who was silently fuming as she listened to his side. He shook his head when she motioned to the phone. "Yes, she's staying at my house. No, she's sleeping in the living room. Why would she be sleeping in my room?" He sighed. "Leslie, I gotta go. We're really close to finding out some answers to what the Headmaster wants. No, I can't tell you the specifics. Gomen ne. Hai. All right. I'll call you when I have a chance. Sayonara." He hung up the phone and lay down on his bed, covered his face with his pillow, and screamed. _

Quistis laughed and sat down on the edge of the bed, taking his pillow from him. "She found you," she said. 

"I know," groaned Zell, closing his eyes. "I told her I was on a mission. How'd she figure out that I was at home?"

"She probably grilled Nida or Xu," replied Quistis. "Did she actually want to help?"

"Yeah," Zell said. "When I told her the town library had a better supply of what we needed, she said that you, quote, _you, probably weren't looking in the right places at Balamb Garden. She said that if I worked with her instead of you, she could show me some better references. She doesn't like you, you know."_

Quistis snorted disdainfully. "Gee, I wonder why? Maybe it's because the two of us hang out more together than the two of you?" 

"Could be," Zell mused, grinning. "Could be for other reasons, too." 

"Oh, yeah?" Quistis looked amused. "Like what?"

_Briiiinnnnngggg!_

They both paused, and waited. "Your mom must've gotten it," Quistis said, shrugging. 

"Zell! It's for you! It's the Headmaster!"

Zell immediately snatched up the phone. "Hello, sir!" he said. "No, we haven't found anything yet. What? Really? All right, I'll tell you. Okay. Okay. Yes. We'll be there first thing in the morning. Okay. Yes. Right. Good-bye, Headmaster." He hung up the phone.

"What?" Quistis asked. 

"They found Seifer," replied Zell. "They're coming in on the first train from Deling City tomorrow. We're supposed to meet them at the station." 

"They found Seifer?" Quistis repeated. 

A chill ran down her spine, and she spun around. 

"Is it her?" Zell asked.

"Yes," Quistis whispered. The woman in the pink dress was standing there again, only this time, she was smiling slightly. "What do you want?" Quistis asked. "Why are you here now?

The woman lifted her finger and ran it across her face, from her left eye diagonally to her right cheek. "Seifer?" Quistis asked.

The ghost nodded. 

"What about Seifer?" Zell wanted to know. 

The woman looked at Zell, startled, as if she hadn't noticed him. She glanced from Quistis to Zell, and then back to Quistis, and nodded slightly. A soft breeze wafted in through the room, and Quistis once again heard that strange, detached voice. 

_"Good."_

Then the woman blew Quistis a soft kiss, and disappeared. 

"Quistis?"

She looked at Zell. "Bad mood or no bad mood, I've got to talk to the Headmaster. Come on."

"Right now?"

"Right now." 


	19. Between an Ancient and Her Guardian

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Nineteen: Between an Ancient and Her Guardian**

"AERIS! RED!" 

Silence. 

"_AERIS! RED!" _

More silence. 

"_AERIS GAINSBOROUGH! RED XIII!"_

Vincent looked over at Cloud. "Exactly how many Aeris' and Red's do you think there are trapped underneath this rubble?" he asked dryly. "And to add to that, how exactly do you think they can answer underneath this rubble?" 

Cloud spun around and glared at Vincent. "Well, you could at least be _trying to help!" he shouted. "Aeris and Red are trapped beneath what __used to be Cosmo Canyon! We have to get them out before they die!" _

"Knock it off, Cloud," Tifa said, placing a hand on his arm. "It's no use getting pissed at Vincent. He's right. Shouting their names over and over isn't going to do us any good. We need to just start digging them out."

"Maybe we should make sure they're alive, first," muttered Cid. 

Cloud turned on him. "_Of course they're alive!" he shouted. "__What the hell would make you think they aren't?"_

"Fuckin' hell, Spike, I didn't mean anything by it!" Cid shouted in defense. "We know you're stressed, but dammit, don't take it out on us!" 

"Then explain to me who I _should take it out on," growled Cloud._

"Save it for the person who did this," Vincent said, stepping gingerly over the rubble. He seemed to be searching in a very precise manner. "Here. We'll start digging here. They're alive, so we'll have to be careful."

"What makes you so sure?" Tifa asked him

He stared at the ground. "I can hear them."

A low light filtered through a small cavern beneath the rubble. Somehow, the room Aeris and Nanaki had been in hadn't completely collapsed – the ceiling above it had fallen in a V-shape, so that Aeris and Nanaki were directly between the two sides. And they happened to have a lantern with them, so they were completely shrouded in darkness. "How long do you think we've been down here?" Aeris asked.

"Probably 30 minutes," Nanaki replied dismally. He was thinking about Cosmo Canyon, and all the people who must've died in the explosion. All just to get to them, he was certain. "Do you think this is that Sorceress' fault?"

"I've no doubt," Aeris answered. "I don't know why she'd do it – maybe to get to me, but I'm not as much a threat as Quistis or Seifer."

Nanaki looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"

Aeris fingered the hem of her dress. "Quistis is one-fourth Cetra, and Seifer is three-fourths. Put them together and what do you get?"

"One full Cetra," Nanaki replied.

"Precisely," Aeris answered. "And Sorceress Linra probably wouldn't stand a chance against one full Cetra."

"But Quistis and Seifer are just babies," Nanaki said. "So why would Linra think them to be a threat?" 

Aeris' shoulders sagged. "I don't know," she said. "I can tell you one thing, though – I'm glad she didn't target them. I don't want anything to ever happen to my babies. They've been through too much as it is." 

Nanaki nodded. "Agreed." And then he stood up and bowed down to Aeris. "As the former Guardian of Cosmo Canyon, I, Nanaki, pledge my loyalty to you, Aeris of the Cetra, and your children, and any children you may have in the future. Likewise I pledge my loyalty to the fathers of your children, and any other children they may have. Likewise I pledge my loyalty to any future generations that may stem from your children, and their children."

Something about that speech seemed familiar, as if Aeris had heard it in a dream. "Nanaki…are you…"

And then he began to glow. 

In a mere minute, Nanaki was no longer in front of her, but a young man of about twenty. The mark on his face made his race easily identifiable to someone who had seen enough of them in the Promised Land. "A Guardian," Aeris gasped. "I had no idea that the lion was your alternate form! Have you always been like this, Nanaki?"

"Yes," Nanaki said, nodding. "And I meant what I said, Aeris. I, last of the Guardians, will always protect your children."

"Last of the Guardians?" Aeris repeated. "You mean you don't know?"

"What do you mean?" Nanaki asked, confused.

Aeris sighed and leaned back against the rock. She drew in a deep breath and then blew it out. "Oh, boy. This is going to be rough."

"Aeris?" He looked at her, liquid brown eyes curious and somewhat apprehensive. "What don't I know?"

"I don't know quite how to tell you this," Aeris said slowly, "but Nanaki – you are not the last of the Guardians."

His eyes widened, and he jolted back sharply, almost as if he had been hit. "Wha-what?" 

"You're the last of the Cosmo Canyon Clan, yes," Aeris continued, "but I happen to know of three other Guardian clans that exist in the world. There's a clan on the Northern Continent, in the Ancient Forest; a clan in the desert surrounding the Gold Saucer; and a clan who down near Mideel who used to protect the Temple of the Ancients." She suddenly snapped her fingers. "Nanaki – that girl you were talking about earlier – what did she look like?" 

"Why?"

"Just tell me." 

Nanaki closed his eyes, but he didn't really need to try and remember. She was emblazoned in his memory. "She wasn't overly tall – she was shorter than I was, maybe five feet tall. She had long blond hair and blue eyes. And the dress she wore was sort of out-of-date, like it belonged in the ancient times."

"Like the outfit you're wearing?" Aeris asked quietly.

Nanaki stared at her, then looked down at his clothes. True, the deerskin pants and vest he wore could be called old-fashioned, but… "She was a Guardian?" he whispered, stunned.

"That's probably how she knew who you were," Aeris said. "I know that blond hair and blue eyes are the trademarks of the Great Desert Clan, and if I'm not mistaken,  your father had relations with that Clan, didn't he?"

"Yes," Nanaki said, nodding. "Often females would come from that clan to mate with our males, to get a good genetic pool going. Inter-Clan breeding isn't such a good idea over a long period of time. But I…I had no idea that clan was still around."

Aeris bit her lip. "They, like the other clans, have pulled into themselves. I remember talking to a few Desert Guardians in the Promised Land. They were somewhat standoffish, until you got to know them. Which makes me wonder why that girl was out on her own."

"She knew that her attackers weren't human," Nanaki whispered. "She knew they were dead. She warned me." He looked up at her. "Aeris, do you think this has something to do with what happened in the Promised Land? Perhaps connected somehow to the Sorceress Linra you were telling us about."

Aeris bowed her head, her long brown hail swirling around her. "I don't know," she said softly. She pressed her hand against the ground and listened to the Planet's soft sighing. The sighs were painful. Whatever was going on was still hurting the Planet. 

There was a low rumbling from above, and small pieces of rock crumbled down from above them. _Hurry, Cloud, she thought, __I don't know how much longer we can last here.****_


	20. The Era of Destruction Begins

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty: The Era of Destruction Begins**

"We're almost there."

Seifer pushed his sunglasses up on top of his head and eyed Irvine. The young cowboy was standing against the opposite wall in the SeeD cabin. Rinoa and Selphie were conked out in two of the sleeping compartments, and Squall was readjusting his gunblade. The journey through the underwater tunnel to Balamb was always the most tedious leg of the train ride, especially for Seifer. He didn't like closed spaces. "I noticed," he said dryly. "Personally, I wouldn't mind having the train stall in the middle of this place. I'm in no hurry to face a public execution."  

Squall rolled his eyes and continued messing with his gunblade. Irvine, sensing tension, immediately sought to find safe ground so that the two wouldn't end up at each other's throats. "So, Seifer…what've you been up to this past year?" he asked, trying to start up another topic of conversation.

Seifer leaned back in his chair and shrugged. "This and that. Hung out at FH for awhile with Fujin and Raijin, then went off on my own. Eventually found myself in Galbadia, where I took up with a girl I met while at FH. That's where I've been for the past few months, 'till said girl called you guys and ratted me out. But really, I've been fine. How about you?" This was said with such a layer of sarcasm that Irvine probably could've taken a shovel to dug himself his own grave. 

"You should thank that girl," Squall said. 

Seifer's chair fell forward, front legs slamming down on the ground loudly. The curtain covering one of the sleeping compartments pulled back, and Rinoa peered out sleepily. From the other, a shoe flew out, supposedly aiming for Seifer, but narrowly missing Irvine instead. 

"_Thank her?" Seifer said incredulously. "All I've wanted for the past fucking year was to put everything that happened __behind me! She was the first person who actually gave me that chance! Thanks to her, I was able to make a living for myself – even if it was under an assumed name – and __nobody knew who I was! __Nobody! Do you know how amazing – how completely __amazing that was? And you want me to __thank her!" _

Selphie pulled back her own curtain. "One: I was trying to sleep. Two: I'm confused. If it was so great, why _wouldn't you thank her?"_

"Because thanks to her, I had to give it all up!" Seifer shouted. He was standing now, eyes flashing, fists clenched. "Now I'm back to being Public Enemy No. 1! And she knew, _knew, how I felt about everything! And now I'm stuck with all of you again, which is the last place I want to be, because I know that no matter how many times I say that I'm sorry, that I regret those days every fucking hour of every fucking day of my life, you'll __never believe me!" He looked at the four of them for a minute, chest heaving with each breath. Then all the anger seemed to seep out of him, and he sat back down in his chair. _

"And why should you?" he said miserably, his voice barely over a whisper now. "After everything I did…hell, I sure wouldn't forgive myself. I was a kid back then, barely eighteen. Is it possibly for someone to change so much in a span of just over twelve months? I don't know. All I know is that for the first time in my life, I was almost happy. And if I could've had my life at Garden back, in addition to this past year, I would've been the happiest man on the planet. For the first time, I was with people who really, truly cared about me. But then Fujin and Raijin went back, and Tera turned me in…" He leaned forward and stared at his hands. "And to top it all off, these damn dreams I've been having are probably going to make me insane."

Irvine, Squall, Rinoa, and Selphie stared at Seifer in stunned silence. None of them had expected anything like this, especially considering that Seifer had barely said five words up until that point. They just looked at him, shock and surprise evident in their expressions.

Rinoa climbed down from her sleeping compartment and knelt in front of Seifer. She reached up and took his chin in her hand, then lifted his face so that he was looking at her. "Hey," she said, smiling softly. "It'll be okay. Just tell the Headmaster exactly what you told us, all right?" 

Seifer looked at her, his green eyes questioning. Then, suddenly, they seemed to glow. Rinoa stared at him, entranced by the strange light in his eyes. "Seifer?" she whispered. 

"She's in pain," he whispered. 

"Who?" Rinoa asked. 

"The Planet, of course," he said. "Can't you feel her pain?" 

Rinoa stood up and stared down at him. A low, humming sound filled the train compartment, not unlike the sound that came right before Ellone used her Time Compression magic. Only this sound was getting louder, and louder, and louder. 

_The scream of the Planet? Rinoa thought, not at all understanding what she was thinking. _

The train jerked suddenly, bringing both Rinoa and Seifer out of their trances. The low-pitched cry was now a high-pitched shriek as the train jerked back to the left, then again to the right, before it jumped the tracks completely as slammed into the wall of the underwater tunnel. 

Then…silence. 

Zell was leaning against a wall at the train station in Balamb, alternating his gaze between the tracks and Quistis, who was standing by the information desk trying to find out why the train from Timber was two hours late. 

"Well?" he asked as she approached him.

She shook her head in disgust. "They can't give me any information at this time," she said, rolling her eyes. 

Zell sighed. "Come on." He grabbed her arm and marched right up to the information desk, pushing in front of a middle-aged woman demanding to know why the trains didn't carry decent coffee. He glared at her when she opened her mouth to protest. 

"Sir, you can't just…" the clerk began to say.

"Listen," Zell said, eyes narrowed and voice hard. "I want some answers, now. The seven-forty-five from Timber was supposed to get in two hours ago. On that train are five SeeD personnel. That train is not here, and my partner and I have been waiting impatiently for some answers. Now, you're going to give us some answers, and you're going to do it now." The clerk started to say something, and again Zell cut her off. "And if you don't know the answers, then you're going to go find them, and we are going to make your life miserable until we get them. Understand?" 

The clerk stared at him, stunned. She seemed to be trying to think of something to say. "How do I know you're really from Balamb Garden?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh, for crying out loud," muttered Quistis. She pulled her ID out of her pocket and shoved it in the girl's face. "Here. See? Quistis Trepe, SeeD, Balamb Garden. Now get us those answers before I report you to your manager."

"Yes, ma'am," whispered the girl. She put a 'Close' sign on information desk and hurried off. 

The other people waiting for the seven-forty-five applauded, and Quistis looked at Zell. "See?" he asked, grinning. "Simple as that."

"Oh, shut up." 

"Ow, my head," groaned Selphie as she sat up. The compartment was pitch black, and eerily silent. "Is everyone okay?" 

"I..I think so," Rinoa said, sounding somewhat dazed. "What happened?"

There was the sound of someone rummaging through something, and a second later a flashlight flipped on. Seifer was outlined by the beam that Irvine was holding. "I think there was some sort of accident," Irvine said. 

Seifer stumbled to his feet, using the wall as a support. The light showed a trickle of blood come from his temple, but he didn't seem to be in any pain. "When I said I hoped there would be an accident, I wasn't serious," he muttered. He peered through the dimly light room. "Hey…where's Leonheart?" 

"Squall?"  Rinoa called. Selphie helped her to her feet. "Squall?! Squall!" 

Irvine panned the light around the room, and it settled on a pile of furniture that had been jarred loose during the impact. Squall's gunblade was halfway buried. "Oh, no," he groaned. "Seifer, give me a hand!" 

Seifer moved carefully over to the area and helped Irvine push away as much of the mess was they could manage. Squall had been shoved up against the wall, and was clearly unconscious. His arm hung limply at his side, indicating a fracture. Irvine knelt beside him and felt for a pulse. "He's alive," he said. "Anybody have a Curaga handy? I've only got Cures, and he's going to need a lot more than that." 

"I'm out," Selphie said apologetically. Rinoa nodded miserably. 

"I have a few," Seifer said. "If somebody gives me a GF to junction, I'll cure him."

"I think Squall's got Carbuncle on him," Irvine said. He quickly removed the placid GF from Squall's arsenal and gave it to Seifer, who immediately junctioned it. 

"Just my luck," Seifer said. "I get a wimp." But he knelt down and cast a couple of Curagas on Squall anyway. 

Color began returning to Squall's pale face, and Irvine breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay," he said, "I think the first thing we need to do is find out what happened. We'll split up, two here with Squall, two to check out the train. Who goes where?"

"I'll stay with Squall," Rinoa said automatically. 

"Me, too," Selphie replied. She shuddered dramatically. "I don't want to see what happened to the train."

Irvine looked up at Seifer. "Looks like it's just you and me," he said. He quickly checked to see what else Squall had junctioned, seeing as how if they ran into trouble he didn't want Seifer to be completely defenseless. "Who do you want, Diablos or Quetzacotl?" 

"Diablos," Seifer replied. "And if anybody has Bahumat, I'll take him, too."

"Why?" Rinoa asked suspiciously. 

"Just trust me," Seifer answered. 

She sighed and allowed him to switch her Bahumat junction with his Carbuncle junction. "I want him back," she said. 

Seifer didn't say anything thing. Instead, he shouldered his Hyperion and moved towards the door. "Come on, Cowboy," he said. "Bring that flashlight with you – it's dark."

"Then what are _we supposed to do about light?!" Selphie asked indignantly. _

"I'm sure Sorceress Rinoa can handle it," Seifer said. "See ya, ladies." He disappeared out into the hallway.

Irvine sighed and shook his head. "Why me?" he muttered as he followed Seifer.

Selphie looked at Rinoa. "I don't know about you, but I'm _really beginning to wish __we were the ones who stayed in Balamb. Quisty can handle Seifer best."_

"Yeah, but Zell would be at his throat," Rinoa replied. "At least we're in here and he's out here."

Selphie nodded and sat down on the floor. "I've got a bad feeling about all this," she whispered. 

Rinoa looked worriedly at Squall. "So do I." 

Cid hung up the phone softly. He stared blankly at the wall for a few minutes. Then, swiftly, he picked up the stapler and threw it across the room. It slammed into the wall and caused a large hole in the plaster.

"I'm going to assume that I came at the wrong time."

He snapped his gaze over to the door and looked at the young woman standing there. She was petite, and looked to be in her early twenties, with long blonde hair and a strange metal casing on the left side of her face. "What's wrong, Cid?" she asked. 

"They were coming on from Galbadia by train," he said, leaning back. "The train crashed in the underground tunnel. There's no way to know if anyone is alive."

The woman gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "My God. Cid…who…"

"Squall, Rinoa, Seifer, Selphie, and Irvine," he replied. He massaged his temples. "Quistis and Zell are at the station, waiting for news. I'm going to head down there and tell them personally."

"How soon will the rescue operation take place?" the woman demanded.

Cid shook his head. "They saw the tunnel collapsed, which is what caused the train to derail. It's completely isolated. Even if they are alive…"

"They are," growled the woman. "They have to be. Cid, those children are our last hope. They _have to be alive. I doubt that the Planet would just let her saviors die! Do they know __why the tunnel collapsed?"_

"Earthquake, I suppose…"

"Cid, it wasn't an earthquake. I could feel the Planet's scream. Something is wrong. And I'll bet you anything that something is _her." _

Cid Highwind-Kramer looked at the woman.  "Savannah…"

Savannah nodded, her blonde hair glowing slightly. "You leave the rescue operation to me and my people," she said. "But Quistis and Zellphirus need to locate the City of the Ancients. Preferably _before she wakes up." _

"I'm going." Cid grabbed his jacket and hurried out of the room, Savannah right on his heels. 

When the door closed, a shadowed figure appeared in the corner. _Finally, he said. __I was wondering when they'd start working together._

Mrs. Dincht returned to her house to find Quistis sitting on the couch, face buried in her hands as she sobbed into them. Zell was right beside her, arms wrapped around her and gently stroking her hair, trying to comfort her. 

"What happened?" Ma Dincht asked immediately, closing the door behind her. 

Zell looked up at his mother, and she noticed that his eyes were a little red from unshed tears. "The train Squall and the others were on crashed," he said thickly. "Headmaster Cid found us at the train station and told us. Then he made us come back here and wait for further news."

Ma gasped softly. The orphanage gang, as they often called themselves, had become part of the Dincht family ever since the Ultimecia incident. Whenever Balamb Garden was in the area, you could bet that Squall, Rinoa, Irvine, Selphie, Zell and Quistis would be over for dinner at least once a week. "Do they know what happened?" she asked quietly.

Zell shook his head as Quistis' sobs grew louder. He looked at his mother, and she nodded. "Come on," Zell said softly, guiding Quistis to her feet. "You need to lie down." He led her to the stairs leading up to his room, keeping his arm around her. Ma watched them go, and shook her head sadly. Then she moved into the kitchen and immediately began looking through the cupboards. When Quistis was feeling better, she'd probably be hungry, and if there was one thing Ma Dincht knew how to do, it was cook.

Upstairs, Zell sat Quistis on his bed and pushed her down. Quistis, tears still trailing down her face, didn't resist as he forced her to lie down and then pulled the covers up over her. "I'm not tired," she said, her voice thick from crying. "I should be out there helping."

"Headmaster Cid told us to stay put," Zell said, smoothing back her hair. "So we're going to stay put until there's more news. When we find out more, then we'll figure out what to do. Now go to sleep." He stood up and pulled some extra blankets and pillows out of his closet, and dumped them onto a fold-up cot that he kept up under his bed. He'd bought it for when one of the guys needed to crash at his place. Not all guests got the couch treatment, especially after midnight. 

"I'm not tired," she whispered as her eyes slid closed. She had exhausted herself with her tears. 

"Of course not," murmured Zell, smiling slightly. He glanced around the room, then leaned down and kissed her cheek softly. 

Then he curled up on the cot and cried himself to sleep as well. 


	21. Help From a One-Winged Angel

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-One: Help From a One-Winged Angel**

"Vincent, can you still hear them?" Cloud asked nervously. 

The tall raven-haired Turk was kneeling on the ground, eyes closed in concentration. "Yes," he said. "I can't hear what they're saying, but I can hear their voices. They're still down there. But it's been a long time. We need to get them out soon."

Cloud sighed irritably. "Where the hell is that equipment Reeve was sending?" he demanded. 

Vincent handed him the PHS, and Cloud immediately tapped in the number for Neo-Shinra Headquarters. "Reeve, it's Cloud," he said after a moment. "I thought you were sending some digging equipment. Red and Aeris can't last much longer down there." 

As Cloud tore into Reeve about the missing equipment, Vincent busied himself with figuring out a way to actually contact Aeris and Red. He wasn't having much luck. Although he had superb hearing, there was no guarantee that Aeris or Red were blessed with the same deal. 

A low rumbling noise filled the air, and Vincent straightened up immediately. "That doesn't sound good," he muttered as the rumbling grew greater and greater. It seemed to be coming from right…underneath…them…

"EVERYBODY, MOVE IT!" Vincent roared in a completely un-Vincentlike fashion. He grabbed Cloud's arm and took off towards the Highwind, dragging the protesting blond behind him. 

Cid had taken initiative, and was already getting the Highwind into the air when Vincent and Cloud began scrambling up the rope ladder. Tifa and Yuffie leaned over the railing to haul the two men up, and they stumbled onto the deck just as a brilliant white light exploded from the explosion site. The light was so bright that they had to turn away from it and cover their eyes. 

"What in the world _is that?!" gasped Yuffie. "Gawd, it's bright!" _

Almost as soon as it had started, the light stopped, and the rumbling sound ceased. Cloud nervously approached the railing, afraid that he might see an even worse disaster that would, definitely, mean Aeris and Red's deaths. 

What he saw stunned and shocked him. 

The rubble from Cosmo Canyon was gone, leaving a smooth, stone plateau. And lying prone on it, right beneath the Highwind, were the sleeping forms of Red XIII and Aeris Gainsborough. 

"What the hell?" whispered Cloud. 

Sephiroth collapsed to the bottom of his cage, his chest heaving with exertion. He didn't even bother to count the seconds between the moment his power died and the moment Linra burst into the room, fury and outrage evident in her expression.

She crossed over to the cage, shoved her hand between the bars, and grabbed Sephiroth by the neck.

"What the _hell do you think you're doing?!" she shouted. _

Sephiroth looked at her through long silver bangs. "What's it look like?" he asked softly, barely able to speak above a whisper due to exhaustion. "I'm giving my wife a hand." 

"That was a foolish thing to do," hissed Linra. "I could feel how much power you used. You won't be able to try another trick like that for months. Without JENOVA's influence, you aren't as strong as you once were."

He narrowed his eyes. "How do _you know about JENOVA?" he asked. _

Linra smiled cruelly. "Where do you think She came from?" she asked. His eyes widened. "That's right, my dear angel. JENOVA hails from my dimension. She was one of the strongest sorceresses of her time, but one mistake in an incantation sent her spiraling into this pathetic place. When she became active one year ago, I was able to breach the dimensions and take a glimpse of this world. What I saw caught my attention, but it took me another year before I could make it over physically."

She released her hold on Sephiroth's neck, and he fell to all fours. _Linra…and JENOVA? They're the same? Which means…I'M responsible for Linra entering this dimension? It's MY fault? _

"Pondering over what I've just said?" Linra asked with mock sweetness. "When are you going to see that everything that happened to you in the past prepped you for this moment? You were _meant to be the Sorceress' Knight, Sephiroth. It's your__ destiny."_

"Go to hell," choked out Sephiroth. 

Linra's eyes flared, and she snapped her fingers. Sephiroth went flying across the cage, hitting the bars on the other side hard. "Don't mock me, little angel. You've foiled my plans once, but you won't be able to do it again. I'm onto you, and your power. And soon I'll be able to control both. You won't stop me, Strife won't stop me, and your precious little Cetra won't stop me. This world _will be mine." _

_What does she mean, she's on to me? Sephiroth thought frantically as his head throbbed in pain. He'd slammed it hard, and he wasn't at all surprised when he touched the back of his head and found blood. He removed one piece of Materia, the only Materia Linra hadn't confiscated, and quickly cast Cure. That was about all the power he had left. _

The spell began to slowly heal him, and Sephiroth closed his eyes as exhaustion overcame him.

Linra looked at the sleeping man with satisfaction. _Now if he would just stay that way long enough, she thought. She had had no idea that he was that powerful. She snapped her fingers, and a shadowy figure appeared behind her. _

"You know what to do," she said. "Go there and get what I need. I need to know more about the JENOVA Project, and what exactly Hojo did to Sephiroth to infuse him."

The shadow bowed, and vanished.


	22. Familiar Eyes

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Familiar Eyes**

Quistis woke up with a start. It had started to rain at some point during the night, and a flash of lightning appeared outside the window. It took her a minute to figure out where she was – Zell's room. In Zell's bed. She glanced around, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Zell asleep on a pull-out cot. _I hope I'm not blushing, she thought. _

Then she realized what it was that had made her wake up.

Standing in the corner was a shadowed figure. It was _not the young woman from before, but someone else. A man, she could see clearly. His features were hidden, but she could see that he was tall, with extremely long hair. She'd never seen hair that long on a man – Irvine didn't come close – but it was definitely a man. _

"Who's there?" she hissed. 

The figure stepped out of the corner and into the faint light cast by the streetlights. Another crash of lightning lit up the room, and Quistis froze. 

Those eyes…

They were…Seifer's eyes…

But this was not Seifer. 

The man, tall and silver-haired, was as faint as the woman before him. Quistis got the eerie feeling that she could know who this man was, but she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. She kept her eyes on him as he walked around the room, looking at certain things, running his hands over objects. It was almost as if he was nervous. 

He knelt down beside Zell and lightly traced the tattoo on the young SeeD's face. Zell shivered slightly, but didn't wake up. Then the man moved over to her. 

He was standing next to bed now, and her eyes had had enough time to adjust to the darkness. The man reached out and gently touched her hair, her cheek, her nose…

"Who are you?" whispered Quistis. She narrowed her eyes. "I'm getting a _little tired of all of this. What am I, a ghost magnet all of a sudden? I know you guys can talk, to some extent, so tell me what the hell is going on!"_

The man suddenly reached out and grasped her wrist. She had expected him to be able to touch – had the woman been able to touch? Had she ever tried to? Even as she contemplated this, the man turned her hand and opened it. Then he placed something in the palm of her hand and closed her fist around it. 

"What --?"

_The past is the link to the future, a voice on the wind whispered, and Quistis looked up to see the man looking at her, green eyes bright. __And blood is the link to the past. _

And then he was gone.

The next thing Quistis knew, she was waking up to a perfectly sunny morning. The smell of rain was still in the air, but the storm was gone. She could smell Mrs. Dincht making breakfast downstairs, and could hear Zell moving around in the bathroom. _Was it all just a dream? she thought. She sat up, and something pressed against her palm. Her hand was clenched around something._

She opened it, and found a small, perfect sphere. It was greenish-white in color, and seemed to burn with a strange inner fire. Quistis had no idea what it was…but it was proof that the man had been no dream. 

But who _was he?_


	23. Cementing the Connection

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Cementing the Connection**

Zell came out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair furiously with a towel to try and get it dry as soon as possible. It was cold that morning, and going outside with wet hair was not high on his list. "Bathroom's free, Quisty," he said to the older SeeD. 

Quistis stopped staring at her hand and looked up at him. "Hmm? Oh, morning, Zell. Any word on the others?"

"Nothing," Zell said, shaking his head. "As soon as you're dressed, we should head over to Garden, find out what's going on. Okay?"

"All right." She stood up and walked over to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. A second later, the shower started up. 

Zell pulled a sweatshirt on over his head and replaced his sweatpants with a pair of jeans. Not his usual ensemble, but he was interested in a change that day. He had a feeling it was going to be an…unusual day. 

He didn't know how he knew this. 

As he waited for Quistis, he pulled out the maps that they had been looking at before – had it really only been a day ago? He felt like he hadn't looked at them in weeks, after what had happened with the train. There was still no word on that. But it wouldn't do him any good to worry, and he had a feeling that the information these maps were supposed to reveal were more important now than ever. 

"Okay," he muttered. "So it's either Great Salt Lake or Opal Lake for the Lifestream. Old Midgar is located beneath Esthar…where would Neo-Midgar be? The Lifestream was on a separate landmass from Midgar…damn it! It's been too fucking long!" 

And then he noticed something. Balamb. There was no island separating the two main continents 500 years earlier. Instead, the western continent had extended further out. And there was a mountain range in the western continent that no longer existed…and a desert nowadays…

Zell grabbed several more maps and spread them out in chronological order. 

The truth started at him in the face. 

Balamb Island had once been part of the western continent. Balamb was located roughly in the area that once contained Costa Del Sol. 

"Yes," he whispered. It had to be. 500 years of shifting plates and growing oceans had separated the western continent. He and Quistis had been looking at each map separately, but together, the truth was fairly obvious. 

The entire world had shifted, to a degree. Midgar wasn't under Esthar, _Neo-Midgar was. Midgar had been located in what was now the large desert and plains area south of Esthar. A large body of water near Neo-Midgar had shrank, creating Great Salt Lake, but that wasn't the Lifestream. The inner body of water that the Centra continent created would've been in perfect position for the Lifestream, seeing as how the two lower islands south of the eastern continent had also shifted. The Northern Continent had broken up, and the Crater's walls now created the Northern Mountain Range in Trabia. As for the western continent – if what the maps indicated was true, then Wutai had been almost completely submerged, and what was left now made up the chain of islands that the Island Closest to Hell belonged to. _

That wasn't what had made him realize all of this, though. It had been the simple words on the bottom of the 500-year-old map, indicating one island: _Cactuar Island. The island had moved, and its new location had given everything away. _

Now all that was left was the find the location of the City of the Ancients. Judging by where the Crater would've been if it hadn't broken apart, Zell was able to get an approximation.

"Oh, HELL!" he shouted, slamming his fist onto the floor. 

Quistis came of the bathroom then, and jumped slightly. "What?" she asked.

He looked at her. "The City of the Ancients is submerged off the coast of Balamb Island. It's been right under our noses this entire time." 

"You still with me back there, Seifer?" 

Seifer glanced around the darkened train wreck one more time. "Yeah, I'm here," he called up to Irvine. "Hey, cowboy, notice anything strange about this?"

"Like the fact that we seem to be the only people on this train?"

"Yeah, like that." Seifer shouldered his gunblade and made his way over to where Irvine, and the flashlight, were standing. "There's wreckage all over the place, but no sign of passengers. There were other passengers on the train…right?"

"I don't know," Irvine said, shrugging. "We boarded the train late, and the SeeD compartment is right at the entrance. There was no way to tell how many, or even if there _were any, other passengers. But you have to figure – a train, leaving Timber, for Balamb, in the middle of a work day – gotta be commuters, right?" _

"Except there apparently weren't," muttered Seifer. "I'm getting an extremely bad feeling about this, cowboy. Aren't you?" 

Irvine nodded slowly. "Hey, Seifer." 

"Hmm?"

"Trade me. Give me Diablos for Cerberus." 

Seifer frowned at Irvine. "Any particular reason why I should trade a Demi for a Triple?" 

"For the same reason you got Rinoa to give you Bahumat," replied Irvine. "Intuition. I've had some training with Diablos in the past, but Squall had more need for him. We're pretty well-junctioned – about 90 % compatibility. We were 99 % at one point. I take it that's why you wanted Bahumat."

"Actually, I've never junctioned Bahumat before," replied Seifer as he removed Diablos from his arsenal. "But he's the only GF from your squad that I've seen."

"And a great big 'huh?' rises from the cowboy," Irvine intoned as he handed over Cerberus. "We never fought you with Bahumat. We didn't get him until just before we went into Lunatic Pandora, and we didn't need him to defeat you. How could you know what he looks like, or what his attack is like?"

"I've seen him in my dreams," Seifer replied as he junctioned Cerberus and reset his abilities. "Great. I've just cut my attack power down a third. This should be interesting. I hope you know what you're doing, cowboy."

"You think you could call me Irvine?" Irvine asked shrewdly as they advanced forward, towards the next car. They were anxious to get to the front of the train. "It might make this whole thing a lot more pleasant. You know, keep me from having to use Diablos on _you and everything."_

"How 'bout I call you Irvy?" Seifer teased. He was getting to kind of liking the young Galbadian. Irvine was the one member of the team that he, on a one-on-one basis, had never had anything to do with. Squall, Zell. Quistis, Rinoa, Selphie – he'd known them. Irvine had just sort of popped into the picture. 

"Oh, gee, Selphie, I thought Seifer was here," Irvine joked. 

"Veery funny." Seifer rolled his eyes and looked at the door in front of them. "Okay, who's prying _this one open? If I remember what Selphie told us, this train should only be eleven cars long. We were at the very end, and we've got through about six or seven. We should be close to the front." _

"I opened the last three," Irvine said. "It's your turn now." 

Seifer sighed and handed the Hyperion to Irvine, then gripped the edge of the sliding door. Every muscle in his arms bulged as he hauled on the metal slab, slowly pulling it open. He was silently thankful that he hadn't cut back on his workouts while living with Tera in Galbadia. _Don't think about her, Seifer, he admonished himself. _

He managed to get the door halfway open before the mechanics finally clicked in, and it slid open automatically. 

The stench that hit them was absolutely unbelievable, and it sent them both stumbling back a few steps. Irvine whipped his hat of and covered the lower part of his face with it, and looked around in horror. "Hyne," he cursed. "Are those what I think they are?"

Seifer was staring with shock at the display in front of him. The car opened up in front of them, and it was filled with dead bodies. "The other passengers," he whispered. Whispering was all his choked voice would let him do. "But how the hell did they get here?"

"And how the hell did they get dead?" Irvine hissed. "I don't know about you, but I'm all for going back to Selphie and the others and figuring out another damn way out of this train. I don't want to go in there." 

"Unfortunately, if there were any other way out, we would have found it by now," Seifer said, his face grim. "We're going to have to keep forward." 

Irvine darted behind him and gave him a small push forward. "You first," he said. 

"How noble," muttered Seifer. He drew his Hyperion and stepped into the death car. Behind him, Irvine oh-so-casually cocked his Ulysses. Somehow, the _click of the gun seemed to reassure Seifer slightly, but not completely. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he said._

"You've got a bad feeling?" whispered Irvine. "_You've got a bad feeling? I'm having trouble seeing where I'm walking, and I don't really want to walk on a lot of what I'm sure I'm walking on. What the hell is going on here, Seifer?"_

"Believe me, if I knew, I'd tell you," Seifer replied. "But right now I'm as clueless as…what's that?"

"What?" 

"That?" 

"I don't hear anything." 

"Shut up and listen." 

Irvine snapped his mouth shut and froze, focusing on the sounds around him. Then, and only then, did he realize what Seifer had heard. 

Slurping. Like the sound that someone made when they were…

"Something's eating in here," whispered Irvine, eyes widening. "Damn it." 

The slurping stopped, and they both froze. 

"I think it knows we're here," Seifer said softly. 

"No shit," Irvine replied. "Well, if it knows we're here…" He held a hand out in front of him. "_Fire." _

A brilliant flame lit up just above the palm of his hand, and he held it up in the direction of the eating sound. Dark red eyes blinked from the sudden light, then adjusted as the creature curled back its lips and snarled. 

"Shit," Seifer said, holding Hyperion ready. "What the fuck is that?"

Irvine pointed his Ulysses at the thing. "If I didn't know better, I'd say it was a ghoul. Zell was telling me about them once - it's unbelievable how much that guy knows. It's going to be very hard to kill it."

"Anything I should keep in mind?" asked Seifer as the ghoul turned its full attention on them, flesh falling from its open mouth. 

"They eat flesh, so don't get too close," replied Irvine. "They're not picky - dead flesh will do, but they prefer living flesh. And they're fast - AH!" He let out a yelp as the ghoul suddenly leaped into the air and jumped over their heads. 

"Yeah, I figured that out!" Seifer shouted as he spun around and blocked a slash by the ghoul's claws with Hyperion. The ghoul dodged to one side and tried to take a bite out of Seifer's ribcage, but the swordsman nimbly saved himself by stepped lightly to one side. He brought Hyperion around in an arc…and it passed right through the ghoul without doing any damage. "IRVINE!" 

"Don't ask me!" Irvine shouted back. He aimed Ulysses and fired once to get the ghoul's attention. The bullet passed harmlessly through and hit a pile of dead bodies, but the ghoul did turn in the cowboy's direction. "Get back to the others! Tell Rinoa we need her help!" 

"Why Rinoa?" demanded Seifer. 

"Can't you feel it?" Irvine hit the ground and rolled as the ghoul pounced for him. "This thing was called here by a Sorceress - only a Sorceress can call it away!" 

With a stunned realization, Seifer knew Irvine was right. The aura around the room was that of a Sorceress. "How did you --?" 

"I don't know!" Irvine snapped. "Just go – before this thing decides it's done playing chase and goes for the kill!" 

Seifer whirled around, trenchcoat flying behind him, and shot out of the car. _Damn it, cowboy, if you get killed I'll come back and murder you! He didn't even think for one minute that the last thing he should be doing is getting involved in another Sorceress situation – at the moment, all he was concerned about was getting Irvine some help. And if Rinoa was the only chance they had, then he'd get Rinoa._

Gunshots echoed from further up on the train, and Selphie clutched Rinoa's arm. "That's Irvy!" she gasped. "He's in trouble!" 

"Or he decided to take a few shots at Seifer," Squall said darkly. He had woken up not long before, but still didn't have enough strength to try and follow Irvine and Seifer. Rinoa and Selphie had been taking turns casting Curaga on him, and it was finally beginning to show some decent effects.

More gunshots followed, and then an echoing howl. Squall, Rinoa, and Selphie looked automatically at the door, suddenly tense. "What _was that?" Selphie whispered, shaking slightly. "What is Irvine fighting?"_

There was the sound of heavy footsteps running towards them, and Squall immediately reached for the Lionheart. He got to his feet, grateful that he could now do this without collapsing, and stood in front of the door. 

The door slid open, and he swung.

There were sparks as his blade hit Hyperion's blade, and then a curse as he just barely managed to not pull the trigger on the gunblade. 

"Damn it, Squall!" Seifer shouted, stumbling back into the hallway. "Give a guy a heart attack, why don't you?!" 

"What are you doing here, Seifer?" Selphie demanded. "You're supposed to be with Irvy!" 

"The cowboy's got his own problems right now," Seifer snapped, "and I came here for Rinoa." 

"Me?" Rinoa pointed at herself and looked surprised. "What can I do?" 

"You can help banish a ghoul who's been feasting on most of the passengers on this train," Seifer said, grabbing her arm and pulling her along behind him. The minute he said that, she didn't need any prodding. 

"Why Rinoa?" Squall demanded as he and Selphie followed. Selphie thrust an X-Potion that she had finally managed to locate in her bag into his hand, and Squall drank it thankfully. 

"This ghoul was summoned by a Sorceress," Seifer said curtly. "Only a Sorceress can banish it." 

Selphie and Squall exchanged glances, but Rinoa kept her gaze fixated straight ahead. _So that's the disturbance I felt, she thought. __Another Sorceress. She ran up even with Seifer. "Ultimeicia?" she asked softly._

"No," Seifer said curtly. "Similar – but different."

She nodded. "Okay." 

"How far?" Squall demanded. 

"A few more cars," replied Seifer. Then, suddenly, he sensed another, stronger presence. "What the –!" Eyes widening as they approached the car he had left Irvine in, he grabbed Rinoa and yanked her into the car. "Stay there!" he shouted to Squall and Selphie before slamming the door in their faces. 

Rinoa and Seifer just had enough time to register the power of the GF before Diablos appeared in the room and fired his Dark Judgement attack on the ghoul. The powerful Demi attack had next to no effect on the ghoul, but it served to keep it occupied for a few minutes as the two ran up next to Irvine.

"Here," Rinoa said, throwing Irvine an X-Potion. Irvine drank it gratefully as Diablos faded away. 

"Thanks," he said. "I was just beginning to wonder what was taking so long."

"If I had had to open all those doors again, you'd be dead, cowboy," Seifer said. "It's a good thing we left them open. Rinoa, can you banish it?"

"I need time," Rinoa replied. "I can't just use my powers on a whim, especially for something like this. This place stinks of another Sorceress."

"Then we'll keep this freak occupied." Seifer held Hyperion out in front of them, then raised the blade up into the air. "**MEGA FLARE!" he shouted, summoning Bahumat. **

The huge dragon descended from above them as they were all thrust into the pocket dimension that the GFs attacked from. Bahumat opened his mouth and released his powerful attack, centering it directly on the ghoul. Seifer steeled himself for the backlash of power he knew would come with using the GF – the less one used the Guardian Forces, the harder they were to summon. 

Suddenly, it was as if he was standing in the middle of a dream. The ghoul was gone. Irvine was gone. Rinoa was gone. Bahumat was gone. 

He was alone in the middle of a huge room. The decor was done in shades of dark red and black, and a single metal cage hung from the ceiling in the center of the room. There was someone sitting in the cage, and to Seifer, he seemed familiar. 

Seifer walked cautiously towards the cage. "Hello?" he called, trying to catch the attention of the person. He didn't move. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" 

The man looked up, and what Seifer had thought was a silver cloak turned out to actually be the man's hair. He looked in Seifer's direction, confusion on his face. His green eyes darted around nervously. "Who are you?" the man asked, shock appearing on his face at the sight of Seifer. "How can you be here?"

"I don't know," Seifer replied. "I was fighting…and then I was here. Where is this place?"

"It's not safe for a boy like you," the man replied. He shook his head ruefully. "The Sorceress wants to destroy the world, you know. The spirits of the Promised Land have been mostly destroyed, and there's no longer a connection to the other world." He looked up at Seifer, and frowned slightly. "You have the look of the Cetra," he said. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" Seifer shot back. 

The man smirked, and Seifer noted a trace of arrogance in the expression. He also noted a slight touch of fear and regret. "I am a man who should not even exist," he said bitterly. "I should be dead." 

"I've feel that way sometimes," Seifer said. "The past is sometimes too much to handle, right?"

"Right," the man said, nodding. They looked at each other for a few minutes, identifying with each other. 

Then came the sound of footsteps from outside the room. 

"You have to leave," hissed the man. "However you got here, you have to go back. Now!" 

"I'm…not sure how I got here," Seifer said, shaking his head. "And I can't just leave you here."

"You must!" the man said. "But I think we'll meet again."

"How will I know you?" Seifer asked. He didn't know why, but he knew he wanted to know more about this man, whether they met again or not. 

"My name is Sephiroth," the man said. "Now…_Return!" _

Seifer felt a sudden rush of power, and the room started to swirl around him. Whatever spell that had brought him here, it was now ending. "Wait!" he said, just barely managing to hold on. "I haven't told you my name!"

Sephiroth shook his head, but Seifer ignored him. "It's Seifer!" he shouted as he felt himself disappear. "Seifer Almasy!" 

He had just enough time to register the shock on Sephiroth's face, and then there was darkness.


	24. Origins

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Origins**

Seifer woke up, and immediately started to cry. 

Cloud reached into the crib that the baby was lying in and picked him up. "Shhh," he said, holding him gently. "It's all right. It's all right." 

"Cloud?"

Cloud looked over to see Aeris looking at him from the bed she was lying in. "Did he wake you up?" he asked. 

"Not really," Aeris replied. "I must have been out for awhile."

"A couple days," Cloud replied as he walked the baby over to his mother. "Here. I think you can handle him better."

Aeris took the crying baby from him, and Seifer's cries started to taper off the minute she started to feed him. She held him closely and smiled down at him. "He's beautiful, isn't he?"

Cloud had to agree. Even for a baby less than a year old, Seifer was a very beautiful child. But something was still bothering him. "Aeris? Can I ask you something?"

"You want to know why," Aeris said without even looking at him. "Why Sephiroth."

Cloud nodded. 

She sighed. "I have to admit, I wasn't expecting it," she said. "When Sephiroth arrived in the Promised Land, most of the Cetra were all for locking him up and throwing away the key, preventing him from ever returning to the Lifestream once his spirit died in the afterlife. I talked to him a couple of times, and it didn't take me long to determine that this wasn't the man who had killed me." 

Cloud frowned. "What do you mean?"

Aeris bit her lip thoughtfully. "The best I can explain it is that when Sephiroth discovered Jenova's existence, he pretty much went insane. When he destroyed Nibelheim, he was already under Jenova's influence. While she wasn't outright controlling him in the beginning, as time went on, he was nearly completely consumed. The man that I spoke to then was quiet, thoughtful, and remorseful. But he was also defensive. He knew that the only reason he had been sent to the Promised Land was because of the Jenova particles Hojo implanted in him as an embryo. He even offered to be exiled, but he refused to be held in a situation that would turn him into a fiend once his spirit died. It was his sincerity that made me decide to fight for him.

"When the Cetra Elders decided that Sephiroth could live in the Cetra City of the Promised Land, they also told me this: that I was completely responsible for anything that Sephiroth did during his probation, which would be over when they decided. During his probation, Sephiroth helped me through my labor with Quistis, and I couldn't help but fall in love with him." She blushed slightly. "In a way, he reminded me of you, Cloud. But there were differences, too, which I cherished just as much. I wasn't upset when I became pregnant again, and Sephiroth insisted on us getting married before the baby was born. 

"We weren't married very long when Linra attacked the Promised Land. And even then, Sephiroth was determined to protect me and the children – even Quisty, the daughter of the man he basically called his sworn enemy."

Cloud snorted. "So he changed, but he still thought of me as an enemy?" 

"I don't know what he thought," Aeris said, shaking his head. "You weren't a subject that we really talked about. He respected the fact that I cared - still care - about you, but I made it clear that what we had was in the past. I was happy with Sephiroth. And I pray every day that he's still alive." 

"Is there any way for you to be sure?" Cloud asked. 

Aeris nodded. "You told me that somehow, the wreck of Cosmo Canyon vanished, leaving myself and Nanaki safe in the open. I felt Sephiroth's presence before that happened - I know that he used his power to do it. He was alive, then. But whether he's alive now…" She shook her head and shrugged. 

Cloud looked at her, at Aeris, and his heart ached when he noticed that she had begun to cry. Seifer finished feeding and snuggled up against his mother. Outside the door, another cry lit up. "Quistis," Cloud said, looking towards the door. "We put her in a different room so that she wouldn't wake up you or Seifer. Tifa was watching her."

"Tifa will make a good mother someday," Aeris said, smiling despite the tears. She glanced over at Cloud. "And you can get some practice with Quisty. Go help her."

Cloud cleared his throat, embarrassed at Aeris' obvious hints. "You sure?" he asked.

She nodded. "Tifa needs you," Aeris said. "I'm fine." 

Cloud nodded and stood up. Just before he opened the door, he paused and turned back to Aeris. "Thanks," he said, offering a tremulous smile.

"You're welcome," Aeris said, smiling back at him. 

"Quisty, please let go of my hair," Tifa pleaded with the blond child. Quistis had a strong hold on Tifa's long hair, and wasn't letting go. She'd woken up suddenly, why Tifa didn't know, but she'd latched onto the hair the minute Tifa had picked her up and hadn't let go. "Come on, Quisty, please let go!" 

"Need some help?" 

Tifa looked up at Cloud's amused tone and threw him a desperate look. "Yes! Please! She's definitely _your daughter!" _

Cloud chuckled softly, but came over and helped pry Quistis' grasp off of Tifa's hair. "There you go, you little imp," he said to his daughter affectionately. "Back to bed."

"No!" Quistis said, using one of the few words that she knew how to protest correctly. 

"Yes," Cloud said seriously. 

"No!" 

"Yes."

"No!" 

"Yes."

"No!"

"No." 

"Yes!" 

Tifa laughed. "She learned those without any problem," she said, smiling. "I think she'd been listening to Vincent's phone calls too much." 

Cloud laughed as well, thinking of the Turk's conversations, which usually consisted of curt one-word, yes-or-no answers to whoever was asking the questions. "Just so long as she doesn't start copying Cid," he said as he took her from Tifa and put her back in her own bed. 

"Unca Shid!" Quistis crowed, giving Cid's name a telltale lisp pronunciation. 

"Right," Cloud agreed. "Now go to sleep."

Quistis peeked out from under her blanket. "Mama?" she whispered. 

"Is fine," Cloud assured her. "Good night, Quisty."

Quistis curled up under her blanket, and her thumb automatically went into her mouth. "'Night, Papa," she murmured sleepily before dozing off.

Cloud stared at the sleeping child, then looked at Tifa. "How long has she been calling me that?" he asked. 

"A while," Tifa said, smiling softly at her boyfriend. She covered her mouth with a yawn. "Is Aeris really okay?" 

"Yeah," Cloud said. "She's watching Seifer, so I thought I'd come relieve you of the Quisty-watch." He glanced at his daughter, then back at Tifa. "But I think she's going to be out for the rest of the night, so I don't think Aeris will blame us if we leave her alone." 

Tifa stared at him, then blushed. "Cloud…"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a standing position, then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against him. "I think I've been neglecting you these past couple of days," he murmured softly. "Everyone could see it except me, even Aeris. Why didn't you say something?"

"You seemed so happy that Aeris was back," Tifa said, burying her face in his neck. "I didn't want to spoil it." 

"You couldn't have," Cloud said. "Look, Tifa, Quistis may be my daughter, but that doesn't mean I feel anything more for Aeris or anything less for you. I love you. Nothing is going to change that." 

"I know," Tifa whispered. "I guess I always knew…but you can't blame a girl for being scared, right?" 

Cloud kissed her softly, saying nothing. They stood there, holding each other like that for several minutes. "You know," he said, a little hesitant, "Aeris told me something."

"What?" Tifa asked.

He pulled back from her slightly and fixed his blue eyes on her red ones. "She said that you'd make a great mother," he said, feeling his face heat up a little. 

Tifa's own blush matched his. "Really?" she asked uncertainly. She bit her lip and glanced at him, then away. "I wonder why she said that."

"Well, I was thinking…" Cloud cleared his throat uncertainly. "If you…I mean, maybe…we could…" 

"Cloud Strife, are you asking what I think you're asking?" Tifa asked fiercely. "I'm surprised at you! I thought I told you clearly that I didn't want to have any children out of wedlock." 

"I know," Cloud said seriously. "So…" He swallowed hard. "Damn, I'm not good at this."

Tifa smiled happily and kissed him softly. "Yes," she whispered, looking up at him.

"How did you know what I was going to ask?" Cloud demanded. 

"Because I know you," Tifa replied. "So, when are we going to have the wedding?"

"Soon?" Cloud asked hopefully. 

"Better be soon," Tifa said, her smile turning slightly impish. "And soon should mean within nine months."

Cloud froze and stared at you. "You mean…"

"I'd love to find out how Aeris knew I was pregnant," Tifa said indignantly. "I just got the test results a few hours ago. I hope you don't mind that I used your account with Neo-Shinra to pay for the charges, but…Cloud?" 

Cloud was still staring at her, unblinking. "Cloud?" Tifa repeated. 

"You're…you mean…but…" Then, suddenly, Cloud picked Tifa up and spun her around, laughing wildly. "I'm going to be a father!" 

Tifa wrapped her arms around his neck and didn't hesitate to return the kiss he gave her. "Well, Mr. Strife," she said affectionately, "either we wait until morning to tell everyone the good news, or we wake them up and tell them now." 

"Well, at the rate he was shouting, I don't think anyone needs to be told anything," a soft voice said.

Cloud and Tifa turned towards the open door. "Vincent," Cloud said, eyebrows raised in surprise. "How long were you standing there?"

"Not very long," Vincent said. "And congratulations, both of you."

"Thank you," Tifa said, smiling slightly. But, like Cloud, she knew the sudden appearance of the Turk couldn't necessarily be a good thing. "Is something wrong?"

"You could say that," Vincent said grimly. "I just got off the phone with Reno in Nibelheim. He and Cat have a problem."

"Cat?" Cloud repeated. 

"Vincent's Turk friend," whispered Tifa. She smiled innocently when Vincent gave her a dark look. 

Cloud nodded in acknowledgment. "What's the problem?"

_The day before…Shinra Mansion_

"This place is so cool!" Catherine said happily, leafing through what looked like a very old book. It smelled like a very old book, too, Reno noted with distaste. 

"Yeah, maybe," Reno said shortly. "If you happen to like dust and cobwebs." 

Catherine rolled her eyes. "That's the problem with men," she muttered. "They just don't know what's good these days."

"Hey, could you keep it down a little?" Reno snapped. "At least, if you don't have anything interesting to add."

Catherine rolled her eyes and muttered something else under her breath, but Reno didn't catch it this time. He picked up a pile of papers written in Hojo's nearly indecipherable handwriting and set them aside. _Maybe Elena and Rude are having better luck, he thought. _

"Um, Reno?"

"Now what?!" Reno spun around just in time to see Catherine fall to her knees, one hand on her head and her eyes closed in pain. He left the papers on the floor and sprinted over to her. "Are you okay?" he exclaimed.

Catherine took a few deep breaths, and nodded slowly. "Sorry," she said. "That happens sometimes." She groped around her, and her hand landed on another old book. "This." 

"This what?" Reno asked. 

"I don't know," Catherine replied, "but I wouldn't have collapsed if it weren't important."

Reno looked at her skeptically. "O-kay." _Vincent sure picked a winner this time. But he sat down on the floor next to Catherine as the girl opened the book, and helped her read through it. The print was old, the font style strange, but it seemed to be written in basic English. _

It took them awhile before they hit on the importance of the book. 

"Listen to this," Catherine said softly. "'And she came from the heavens, the ethereal being with powers greater than ours. We welcomed her, and accepted her into our culture. The Sorceress Jenova'."

"Jenova?!" exclaimed Reno, leaning closer to get a better look. 

"Yes," Catherine said testily. "That's what it says, right? There's more."

"I'm listening."

"'The Sorceress spoke of her world many times. She seemed hesitant of the Cetran way, returning to the Lifestream to be reborn onto the Planet, and repeating the process over again through eternity. Such was the way of our Planet, but not the way of hers, she said. On her planet, lives were there to be used by her kind, the sorceress' and their knights. They had powers beyond what we Cetra could ever understand, and used these powers to show us a new way. 

"'As the years went on, more and more of our people left the Cetran way and stayed with the Sorceress, living by her ways. But they could never grasp her power, and she grew tired of them. To try and prove to the Cetra that we could still use our power and follow her way, she summoned a demon from the heavens - Mytyor - and caused great damage to our Planet. 

"'Angered by this, we used our own great angel, Holy, to drive away the demon and seal the Sorceress away. We divided her power into several aspects, and sealed away these aspects in several hidden points around the Planet. But Jenova got her final revenge - she unleashed a plague that wiped out most of the Cetra. Only a few survived. And with her last words, she spoke this premonition: _Beware, those who would oppose my power. For the day will come when one of my own shall arrive to destroy the last of you, and wreak havoc upon this Planet.'" Catherine fell silent, and she could practically hear the tenseness in Reno's voice when he spoke. _

"Is that it?"

"That's it," Catherine said quietly. "It's signed Alshandra, Cetran Elder." 

Reno drew in a deep breath. "So Jenova came from another world," he said quietly. "That demon, Mytyor - what do you think that is?" He pronounced it My-tie-or.

"I think it's Meteor," Catherine said. "I come from a long line of linguists, and they were using an older language in those days. Y was often pronounced as a long _I or short __E. And that would correspond with Holy."_

Reno frowned at her. "How did you…"

"Please," Catherine said, rolling her eyes. "Vincent already told me about what happened a year ago. Not to mention the fact that I _do have eyes and ears." She frowned. "That last part - one of her own would come to destroy the last of those who oppose her power, and will wreak havoc on the Planet. Do you think…?"_

"That might have something to do with the destruction of the Promised Land?" Reno didn't see any reason to keep anything from Catherine, and she'd already pulled most of the information about the current crisis out of him earlier. "Destroying the spirits of the Cetra, then going have Aeris and her kids…damn."

"And destroying Cosmo Canyon," Catherine said. "What about these aspects of Jenova Alshandra mentions?"

"I think they came and went," Reno said. "AVALANCHE destroyed several pieces of Jenova a year ago." 

Catherine nodded. "I think you should call Vincent. If what we think this thing says is true, then there's going to be a lot more destruction. And we might be dealing with something even worse than Jenova."

Reno gulped. "What are you going to do?" he asked as he pulled out his cell phone.

"Find out more about these sorceress' and their knights," Catherine said. "If this is a Sorceress…well, I'm curious. I've heard something like this before, in an old story my grandmother used to tell me. Knights are protectors, and in a way, Sephiroth would have been a protector of Jenova. If it's the same sort of thing, Sephiroth would also have been a Jenova's Knight. And now he's missing."

Reno hesitated before hitting the numbers. "Let's keep that to ourselves for now."

"Just get Vincent here."

"Cid, how fast can we get to Nibelheim?"

Cid groggily opened his eyes and glared at Cloud. "I was trying to fuckin' sleep," he muttered. "What's in Nibelheim?"

"Trouble," Vincent replied. "Reno wants us there, and from what he told me on the phone, we might have a piece of this puzzle solved." 

Nanaki, who was lying close to the table that Cid was sitting at in the Command Center, opened one eye. "Could you drop me off near the Great Desert first?" he asked. 

"Why?" Tifa asked. 

"There's something Aeris told me about that I want to check on," Nanaki replied. "I'm not sure if it has anything to do with this, but it might." He hesitated, then continued. "Back at Costa Del Sol, I had an unfortunate run-in with a few creatures that weren't quite of this world. I was helped by another of my kind, from a clan who lives in the area. I'd like to find her and question her." 

Cloud frowned slightly, and glanced at Vincent. The Turk shrugged, as if saying he didn't care one way or another. "Okay," Cloud said, nodding. "You can meet up with us again later." 

"Right," Nanaki said. Relieved, he walked out of the room. 

Cloud turned back to Cid. "Well?"

"Give me a few minutes," Cid said. "What did the red-head say, anyway?"

"He thinks this might be connected to Jenova," Cloud said as he, Vincent, and Tifa followed the pilot to the bridge. They stopped briefly to grab Yuffie's arms and haul her into a standing position, mindless of the fact that she looked like she was about to be sick, then continued. "Something about Sorceresses. Aeris doesn't seem to know anything about it."

"Yippie," muttered Cid. "Fine, we'll go to Nibelheim. But I thought you had Reeve evacuate that place."

"I did," Cloud replied.

Cid groaned. "Great. Just fuckin' great. Well, Spike, if it blows up while we're there, I'm blaming you entirely."

"They know, milady."

Linra turned from the cage to stare at the minion. "Who knows?" she asked.

"The connection. They've discovered that the Lady Jenova was a Sorceress. One of them, a follower of the Chaotic One, has nearly discovered the significance behind the Sorceress' Knight. More importantly, I found out something even more interesting."

"Yes?"

"Your pet there…he was Jenova's Knight, as well."

Linra smiled. "I knew that," she said. 

"But no two Sorceress' can have the same Knight."

"As Jenova's power-sworn heir, exceptions can be made," Linra said. "Anything else."

'Yes, milady."

"Speak."

The minion growled softly. "It would seem that I have discovered the identity of the ones responsible for Lady Jenova's demise," he said.

Linra narrowed her eyes. "Who?"

"AVALANCHE." 

A wicked smile formed on Linra's face. "What luck," she murmured, turning away from the minion and looking at the catatonic Sephiroth inside the cage. After feeling the strange presence but finding no one, Linra had begun to begin to manipulation of Sephiroth's mind, to initiate him into Knighthood. "The very ones that little Cetra bitch and her spawn have holed up with are the ones who destroyed my mistress. What luck, indeed."  


	25. Shocking Truths

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-Five: Shocking Truths**

"So, the lost cadet finally awakens."

The amused tone in the familiar voice was enough to make Seifer open his eyes completely. He winced at the bright overhead lights, but his eyes couldn't help but light up at the sight of Dr. Kadowaki standing over him. While Garden's medical expert had been as exasperated with him when he was younger as everyone else, her presence meant one thing - he was no longer on that damned train!

"How did I get here?" he asked, looking up at her. 

"You were carried," Dr. Kadowaki replied as she wrapped the blood pressure cuff around his arm. "Normal," she pronounced a minute later. She checked a monitor, and nodded in satisfaction. "One hundred percent normal. Seems you were just suffering from a severe case of exhaustion. You were out like a light when they found you." 

Seifer grimaced. "Great. I return to Garden, and I'm not even awake to give taunting smirks to all the students. Can I go now?"

"Ah, no," Dr. Kadowaki said, shaking her head. "The Headmaster wants you to get some rest - and that won't happen the minute you step out of this infirmary. But you can't have visitors. In fact, you've got a few right now. I'll go show the first one in." 

Seifer sighed and tried to shift himself around so that he was at least sitting up in bed - if there was one thing he hated, it was lying around helpless. The door to the room he was in opened, and Irvine stepped inside. 

"Hey, cowboy," Seifer said, sincerely pleased to see the Galbadian in one piece. "What happened?"

Irvine pulled up a chair and spun it around, sitting on it so that his arms rested on the back of the chair. "That's what I'm here to tell you about," he said. "Headmaster didn't think it'd be a good idea if you went out there and didn't have a clue about what happened on the train. What's the last thing you remember?"

"Summoning Bahumat," Seifer said automatically. 

"Right," Irvine said, nodding. "I figured. The minute that GF returned to you, you fell like a stack of lead. I've never seen someone lose themselves to a GF that quickly, and that hard. Damn, but I thought you weren't breathing for a minute.

"Anyway, after you summoned Bahumat, Rinoa stepped in and banished the ghoul easily. You gave her the opportunity to pull herself together, so we have that to be thankful for. Rinoa tried to revive you, but neither she nor Selphie had enough curative stock, because of their healing on Squall earlier, when we heard voices outside. Apparently there were service tunnels built into the sides of the railway tunnel, and a rescue crew had finally come after us." Irvine paused, frowning slightly. "I got a strange feeling from them, but there wasn't really any time to question anything. They got us out of the train, and hurried us here to Garden. You've been here in the infirmary for about five hours." 

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting," Seifer said, managing a slight grin. 

"Nah," Irvine said, shaking his head. "I just finished up debriefing, actually." Then he frowned. "But Headmaster Cid does want to see us in his office as soon as you feel up to it - something about what Quistis and Zell discovered while we were tracking you down." 

"That's right," Seifer said, nodding slightly and speaking more to himself. "You said those two were up to something."

Irvine nodded and stood up, tilting his hat back slightly. "Well, I better leave you to get some rest, although I know you've got more visitors. I'll be back to check on you later, and whenever you feel ready, we'll head upstairs to the third floor." 

Seifer nodded, grateful for the out Irvine had given him - whenever he felt ready, whether physically or mentally. 

Irvine opened the door and motioned to someone outside, and Seifer briefly wondered who his new visitors were - when he realized that he must've hit his head, because when they entered, it was obvious who they had to have been.

"Seifer!" Fujin hurried over and threw her arms around him, hugging him as best as she could do. Raijin stood behind her, looking at Seifer sheepishly. 

"You're talking normal?" Seifer asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously. "What's going on?"

"Someone spilled her secret, ya know?" Raijin said, grinning. "Nobody lets her get away with the one word stuff, especially now that we're both SeeD, ya know?" 

"You made it?" Seifer asked, finding himself happy for his friends - and yet, in a way, jealous as well. They had managed to do what he had dreamed of doing, but had kept spoiling for himself. 

"Headmaster had to make a couple of exceptions for us, but we managed," Fujin said, beaming at Seifer. "So, how are you? Where'd you go after we left you?"

Seifer, who was more used to the real Fujin than most people, just shook his head in marvel. "I went to Deling City," he said.

"Oh, yeah! That girl, right?" Raijin said, nodding. "The one we met in FH, ya know?"

Fujin stomped on Raijin's foot immediately after she noticed Seifer's bright green eyes cloud over. Raijin rubbed his sore foot and whimpered softly, but caught the hidden meaning. 

Tera was not a subject to be brought up around Seifer. 

The tense moment passed after a minute, though, as Seifer looked at the two and managed a true look of interest. "So, what's been going on here in Garden since you came back?"

The pounding of footsteps on the Quad floor were loud and insistent enough to make Zell sit up from where he was lying on a bench, listening to music and flipping through a book. He removed his headphones and looked at Quistis, who sat down - hard - beside him. "What happened?" he asked.

"He wouldn't tell me a damn thing!" Quistis fumed, folding her arms over her chest. "I told him about the visions, the spirits, I even showed him the little white orb that I found when I woke up - and he didn't say one word! He just looked at me for a minute, turned away to stare out the window, and told me that I was dismissed until he wanted to speak to all of us. I was so mad I had to get out of there before I threw this thing at him!" She opened her clenched fist and showed Zell the small greenish-white orb lying in her hand. "You're sure you don't know what it is?"

"Mineralogy isn't my strong point," Zell said apologetically. He looked at Quistis, a slight frown marring his handsome features. "You're really upset about this, aren't you?" 

Quistis looked at him. "Well, if you were going crazy, wouldn't you be worried, too?"

"You're not going crazy," Zell said emphatically. "I'm sure there's a good explanation for all of this." 

"Like what?" 

He looked thoughtful. "Maybe it's connected to the City of the Ancients." 

"Then why would it just be me?" Quistis demanded. "You were searching for the City, too." 

"Good point." The two lapsed into a companionable silence, and didn't say anything for quite awhile. 

"Have you seen Squall and the others yet?" Zell asked. 

"No," Quistis said, shaking her head. "And I didn't go see how Seifer was doing, either. I heard through the grapevine that he was awake, though, so there'll probably be a meeting soon. Maybe then Headmaster will finally explain what's going on."

"Maybe," Zell agreed. 

"I'll tell you what's strange, though," Quistis added. "Those people who rescued Squall, Rinoa, Selphie, Irvine, and Seifer. They said that those five were the only survivors, but never really said who they were. And when I left the Headmaster's office, one of them - I think she was a leader or something - was waiting to see him." 

"The ones with the masks?" Zell had seen the strangely-clothed rescue party, too. They'd been dressed in what he considered medieval clothing, but that hadn't been what had caught _his attention. What he'd noticed were the silver masks that each wore on his or her face. The mask covered one side of their face, leaving only an opening for the eye. There had been something very - disconcerting - about there rescue party. _

"Yeah."

"Do you know what he wanted?"

"She." Quistis shook her head. "No. But…and this might sound kind of strange, but I felt like I'd seen her somewhere before." She rubbed her bare arms and was surprised to discover goosebumps running across the skin. "I think I'm getting incredibly paranoid." 

Zell slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. Instinctively, she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Nah," he said, smiling slightly. "And even if you are, you're entitled to it. I'll be the first to admit that you haven't had an easy past couple of days."

Again, the two lapsed into silence, sitting there. As the silence drew on, both became increasingly aware of the sort of picture they made - one of the Garden instructors in what to many could be interpreted as an embrace by a SeeD officer, and one who had a girlfriend (however his personal feelings about that matter were). Even knowing this, neither Quistis nor Zell made any attempt to move. 

So when, after quite a few minutes of just sitting there, Zell turned his head and kissed her softly, Quistis had absolutely no objections. 

The kiss was broken just a few seconds later by the intercom: 

"_Would the following people report to the Headmaster's office ASAP: Squall Leonheart, Rinoa Heartilly, Quistis Trepe, Selphie Tilmitt, Zell Dincht, Irvine Kinneas, and Seifer Almasy. Repeat: Squall Leonheart, Rinoa Heartilly, Quistis Trepte, Selphie Tilmitt, Zell Dincht, Irvine Kinneas, and Seifer Almasy report to Headmaster Cid's office ASAP - that means NOW." _

It wasn't until an hour later that they were all assembled, however. 

The seven teenagers sat in Cid's office, looking like they really didn't want to be there. Seifer was grumbling because he hadn't expected to be summoned so soon Irvine wasn't pleased because he'd had to escort Seifer to the office, which had meant dealing with a whole mob of students. Zell and Quistis weren't happy for reasons they wouldn't tell anyone. Rinoa and Selphie were pretty much indifferent, but very much aware that something strange was going to happen in the following moments to come. And Squall wasn't pleased to be, once again, in the same room as Seifer - despite the conclusion he'd come to about Seifer having changed to a degree. 

Cid sat behind his desk, looking at them. "You're probably wondering what's going on," he said softly.

"You think?" Seifer muttered sarcastically. 

Cid shot him a look, and Seifer just smiled innocently. "I don't blame a single one of you for being confused," Cid admitted, "and unfortunately, I can't tell you all of the details at this moment. I can only tell you some of what it going on.

"For starters, my name is not Cid Kramer." 

Eyebrows raised and eyes widened, but nobody said a word. Zell frowned uncertainly, and Cid drew in a deep breath. He was going to have to be very careful, especially around Zell. The closet historian would be able to piece together the story, if given enough information. 

"My real name," Cid continued, "is Cid Highwind." Zell was the only one who reacted the way Cid had expected - shock and surprise, followed by suspicion and disbelief. Cid decided to continue. "I suppose it's been too long for any of you to really know that name - after all, records say that I died nearly five hundred years ago." 

"Headmaster, are you feeling all right?" Selphie asked timidly. 

"Let him continue," Zell said sharply. Everyone looked at him in surprise, but let Cid continue without any interruptions. 

"Five hundred years ago, the Planet was very different from the way it is today," Cid said. "Magic was used in a different ways, technology wasn't quite as advanced, and there were different sorts of dangers. But the dangers were sparse - until a point when it seemed like everything was coming to a head." 

"Jenova," Zell said, nodding. Seifer and Quistis both tensed, but for some reason that neither of them could place. 

"Right," Cid said. "Jenova was released upon the world, and it fell to a group of unlikely heroes to get rid of her. I was one of them."

"Time out," Irvine said, the information suddenly clicking. "You're expecting us to believe that you were _the Cid Highwind - of AVALANCHE? You'd be a lot older than you are if that were true, Headmaster. No offense."_

"None taken," Cid said. "If I didn't know the whole story, I'd be confused, too. Anyway, to make a long story short, AVALANCHE defeated Jenova, and peace fell to the land. For about a year. That's when another historic event occurred - can anyone tell me what was supposed to have happens five hundred years ago that would effect our world today?"

"The first Sorceress, Hyne, appeared," Zell said automatically. 

Once again, Cid nodded. "Right. That's what the history books say."

"You're implying history is wrong?" Squall asked skeptically. 

"I'm implying that history doesn't know the whole story," Cid said bluntly. "And I can't tell the entire story here, right now. I will say this - Hyne wasn't the first Sorceress. She was, in fact, the _third Sorceress to find her way to this world. The first was the being known as Jenova, although we didn't know she was what we call a Sorceress until a year after she was destroyed. _

"What caused us to look deeper into Jenova's origins was the arrival of Sorceress Linra - Hyne's older sister, and the successor to Jenova's power. She swept through the Promised Land very quickly, destroying the City of the Ancients in the process. AVALANCHE, along with some other allies, managed to fight Linra, and with Hyne's power we were able to seal her way?"

"But not destroy her?" Rinoa asked uneasily.

"Unfortunately, no," Cid said, shaking his head. "Linra was sealed within the City of the Ancients, which Hyne restored with her power. The City was sealed off, and it seemed that life was returning to normal. Well, as normal as if could be. The Sorceresses were having an influence on the world, and as the Planet sought to heal itself, changes were occurring that later shaped the world today. But that's not important.

"About a year later, construction completed on my pet project - an actual spaceship built for space _travel - not just a rocket, but a ship itself." Cid smiled sadly. "I was in charge of its first voyage, and I invited my friends from AVALANCHE to come with me. The ship was registered under Neo-Midgar's new name, and was to be the first of its kind. But we were doomed from the start. _

"Barely twenty-four hours into the voyage, the ship encountered a strange meteor shower - which wasn't really a meteor shower at all. I'm not entirely certain, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had been sent from the Sorceress' original world." Cid drew in a shuddering breath and closed his eyes briefly before continuing. "The creatures that overtook the ship were ruthless, and it took us quite awhile to discover how to kill them. By then, only two of us were left alive. Instead of trying to fight the rest of the creatures, we instead fled to the cargo hold, where the _Highwind was being stored."_

"The _Highwind?" Zell looked uncertain. "That was an airship."_

"How do you know all of this?" Seifer demanded. 

"Zell's pretty good in history," Quistis said mildly, silently reprimanding her former student. 

"Zell's right, the _Highwind wasn't meant for space travel," Cid said, "but as chance would have it, it didn't matter. With only eight of the creatures left on board, the ship was suddenly thrown through some strange vortex - possibly created by the creatures and effected by the fact that no one was piloting the spaceship. The __Highwind was thrown from the ship in the middle of the vortex, and while the spaceship itself remained in space, the airship hit the Planet's atmosphere and crashed in the continent of Centra. _

"I and my companion woke up after several hours of being unconscious, and soon discovered that this wasn't the Planet we had left. We had been located by a young woman with a house nearby, who was tending to our injuries, and discovered from her that we had been thrown several hundred years into the future." He shook his head ruefully. "We both had a bit of trouble believing it. But as we found out more about the world, we realized that it had to be true. 

"We stayed on Centra for quite awhile, but eventually my companion decided that she wanted to search for anything relating to her old life. She wasn't a human, see, but a member of a species who lived much longer than humans. There was a chance she'd find someone who knew her. I stayed on Centra, and eventually came to love and marry the woman who had found us - Edea." 

"Matron?" Selphie smiled. "She helped you?"

"She saved us," Cid replied. "The rest is, well, history. Edea and I opened an orphanage, which she mostly ran while I sought to get Garden up and running. As time went by, I managed to forget most of my past live, and it became more like a dream than a memory.

"Then Ultimeicia arrived, and I knew things wouldn't be that simple. I couldn't turn my back on the past. Especially now - one year, nearly to the date of Ultimeicia's defeat, just as Linra's arrival was one year to Jenova's defeat, another Sorceress has taken center stage - Linra herself.

"Because she was never defeated, Linra has been waiting silently, sealed in the City of the Ancients. My belief is that Ultimeicia was attempting to join with several Sorceresses from the past using Time Compression so that she would be able to free Linra from the City of the Ancients. She tried that with Adel, with Edea, and with Rinoa, and failed on all three accounts. But now Linra is awakening on her own."

"How do you know?" Squall demanded. "How could you possibly know this?" 

"Because of all of you." 

Cid looked over at the door and frowned slightly. "Savannah. I said I'd call you in when they were ready." 

The woman named Savannah entered the room and looked at Cid, obviously not intimidated. "You're beating around the bush, Highwind," she said dryly as she closed the door behind her. "They're not going to understand anything if they don't know their personal significance in this." 

"We agreed not to tell them," snapped Cid. "At least not until they became suspicious of it themselves."

"Some of them already are," Savannah replied. She looked at Quistis. "Right?" 

Quistis stared at the woman, who she had already recognized as the one who had been waiting to talk to Cid before. "I know you," she said with absolute conviction, but her voice sounded oddly distant. "But I've never seen you before."

"You have," Savannah said. "Five hundred years ago." 

"Savannah!" Cid said sharply.

Savannah glared at him. "Can't you feel it? Linra is getting stronger everyday. Now that you know the location of the City of the Ancients, it's time to act. We have to seal her away again, using Rinoa. But she'll never stand a chance of getting close enough unless she has back-up, and for that, she'll need the others." 

"They're not ready to know!" Cid exclaimed. 

"They should be!" Savannah growled. She shook her head. "The Planet is dying again, Cid, and the only ones who can stop it are the ones who stopped it before. But they're not here now - so their replacements will have to do it!" 

"They're more than replacements - and they don't know anything!" Cid retorted. 

Seifer suddenly stood up and stuck two fingers into his mouth, releasing a piercing whistle that echoed in everyone's ears. "Would you two stop _arguing and start __explaining?" _

Cid and Savannah glared at each other, but finally Cid sat down and motioned for Savannah to step forward. Savannah did so, and smiled much more graciously at the seven of them. "Sorry about that," she said. "I'm sure by now at least one of you has guessed who I am."

"The other survivor of the _Ragnarok incident," Squall said. _

Cid blinked. "I never mentioned the name of the ship."

"No, but it was obvious," Squall said, shaking his head. "Eight creatures left, a ship left floating in space - which you couldn't have known about unless the ship had actually been recovered." He shrugged. "Rinoa and I were the ones who recovered it." 

"Very smart," Savannah said, smiling. "Reeve would be pleased." 

"Reeve?" Seifer and Quistis echoed. They glanced at each other, both troubled. 

"Reeve Loire," Savannah clarified. She counted to herself quietly. "I think…approximately Laguna Loire's great-great-great-grandfather…maybe a few more greats. And Laguna Loire is…" 

"My father," Squall said. "But who's Reeve?"

"A member of AVALANCHE," replied Cid dismally. "He was the only one who wasn't on the _Ragnarok - he was still trying to get Neo-Midgar, renamed Esthar, on its feet. And I promise you, it's pure coincidence that Laguna ended up the president of Esthar several hundred years later." _

"Squall was the only surprise in this little group, the only wildcard," Savannah said, glancing at Cid. "But the rest of you - you were destined to face off against the Sorceress together in some way."

Zell looked at Cid, troubled. "Headmaster…back when you assigned Quistis and me to find the City of the Ancients, you mentioned that we were the best qualified for the job because it was 'in our blood'. What did you mean by that?"

"You and Quistis, and Seifer, are all connected to the City of the Ancients," Savannah replied. "The three of you, plus Rinoa, Irvine, and Selphie, were all on the _Ragnarok when the Propagators attacked. You were just babies - Seifer and Quistis were barely two, and the rest ranging between infancy and a year old. That's why a lot of this is sounding familiar to Seifer and Quistis - they have a better memory."_

"You mean, _we're from the past, too?" Selphie yelped. "All but Squall?"_

"That's right," Savannah said. "It's a miracle you all survived the crash - but you did. However, after several weeks of being on the Centra continent, it became apparent that having all of you together would not be a good thing. The power combined in the five of you would undoubtedly trigger a reaction in Linra - which it eventually did, only several years later." 

"Five?" Rinoa frowned. "But…"

"Five," Savannah confirmed. "After the crash, we searched for all of you. We managed to find five of you - but Rinoa, somehow you managed to slip away from us. We pretty much gave you up for dead, until we discovered that you'd somehow found your way to Galbadia, and into the house of General Caraway and his wife. They had just lost a daughter in childbirth, and were raising you as your own." Savannah smiled. "If it weren't for your eyes, I never would have recognized you while I was dropping Irvine off."

"Dropping me off?" repeated Irvine at the same time Rinoa said, "My eyes?"

"You're not being clear, Savannah," Cid said, shaking his head. 

"When we decided that you couldn't all be together, I took you and found you places with different families through the world," Savannah said. "What I wasn't counting on was that there would be a war, and most of you would end up what you originally were - orphans."

"Imagine my surprise when, one by one except for Rinoa, you reappeared in the orphanage," Cid said, shaking his head. "We managed to find new homes for Zell, Selphie, and Irvine, but Quistis and Seifer - Squall, as well - went straight to Garden when they were old enough." 

"I had to find out about that the hard way," Savannah said, slightly perturbed. 

"I couldn't find you," snapped Cid. "Besides, the Dinchts were ready and willing to…" Suddenly, Cid's eyes widened. 

"Thank you," Savannah said graciously. "You've just given me my opening." 

"What about Ma and Pa?" Zell demanded. 

"This brings me to your lineage," Savannah said. "Each of you are very important. Squall is directly descended through many generations from Reeve Loire, a member of AVALANCHE - but the rest of you are much more closely related to the same group." 

They looked at her silently. Cid refused to meet any of their gazes. 

"You're the children of AVALANCHE," Savannah said. 

The silence continued for a minute, until Selphie managed a weak, "_What?" _

"You're the children of AVALANCHE," Savannah repeated, and as she spoke, she could look at each of them and remember clearly the faces of their parents. "You're names have changed because of your constant changing through families, but your given names have all remained the same." 

"Rinoa," and the young Sorceress looked at her, "you are the daughter of Cloud Strife and Tifa Lockheart. You inherited the Mako eyes of your father, although the coloring is different.

"Irvine," this earned the attention of the sniper, "you're just as good with a gun as your father, Vincent Valentine.

"Selphie," and the perky Trabian held her breath, "your mother was Yuffie Kisaragi. You're the last of a great clan of Ninja.

"Seifer and Quistis," both of them looked at Savannah, unsure why they were being included together, "you're actually related to Rinoa in a way. Rinoa is Quistis' half sister - you share the same father, Cloud -, and Seifer is Quistis' half brother - you share the same mother, Aeris Gainsborough. Seifer, your father's name is –"

"Sephiroth Almasy," Seifer said immediately, with conviction.

Cid looked at Savannah grimly. "You were right," he said. 

"It made sense, is all," Savannah replied. 

"Right about what?" Quistis wanted to know. "And - Seifer and Rinoa are my brother and sister?!" 

"Only half," Cid said, "and Rinoa and Seifer aren't related except by circumstance." Relief was plainly etched on both their faces, as they both remembered their brief romance a few years earlier. 

"I'm a _ninja?" Selphie whispered, staring at her hands in shock. Beside her, Irvine was stunned speechless, overwhelmed by the fact that apparently, he was the son of the greatest gunman in history. _

"What about me?" Zell suddenly blurted out. "Who am _I related to?"_

Savannah swallowed hard, but didn't hesitate. "The mark on your face tells it all," she replied.

"His tattoo?" Rinoa asked. 

"Birthmark," Zell said sheepishly. "It just got darker as I got older, so it didn't look like I had it when I was younger."

"Birthmark indeed," Savannah said, nodding. "It's the reason only you and Quistis would be able to find the City of the Ancients, Zell. Quistis and Seifer, by blood, are the last of the Cetra. And you are a Guardian."

"A…Guardian?" Zell looked confused. "I don't understand."

"The Guardians were an ancient race were aided the Cetra during their pilgrimages, and protected the Planet at all costs," Cid said. "We thought they were pretty much extinct, but it turned out only one clan was - Cosmo Canyon."

"Red XIII," Zell filled in. "The only member of his race in Cosmo Canyon, he was described as a very intelligent lion-creature."

Savannah shook her head ruefully. "Historians were never accurate on Guardians," she said. "They're shape-shifters. They can move between feline and human form easily. There are only two things that show a Guardian in human form - we're unbelievably agile, and many of us excel in the martial arts and gymnastics; and the second reason is this." She reached up and removed the silver mask that covered her face. 

Imprinted on her face was a mark identical to the one on Zell's. Zell stared at her in shock. 

"Nanaki, more known as Red XIII, was your father, Zellphirus," Savannah said softly. She looked at him, and suddenly tears began to form in her eyes. "And I'm your mother." 


	26. Added Allies

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Added Allies**

Nanaki stood on the edge of the Great Desert, staring down at the fast expanse of quicksand that surrounded it, and prevented him from entering. He knew, though, that there was a path _through the quicksand, and one only a Guardian could enter through._

The problem was, he didn't know _where this particular path was. His father had never told him. _

Nanaki began to walk again, as he had been doing for the better part of an hour already, going slowly and keeping an eye out for anything unusual. As he walked, he thought. 

_If those creatures that attacked that girl were caused by this Sorceress who attacked the Promised Land, why haven't we seen more of them? Was it just a one time occurrence - or maybe a distraction? But a distraction of what__, exactly? He sighed and shook his head, the tips of his mane smacking the sides of his neck. _

And then he saw it. Running right through the quicksand, just small enough for a single Guardian to squeeze through, a narrow stretch of unmoving sand. It was only visible when the sun disappeared behind the clouds - otherwise, it would shine on the strip, and give the illusion of moving sand. Even when the sun came out from behind the clouds, Nanaki still headed straight for that spot, the location imprinted in his mind. 

As he passed through it and into the Great Desert, he had the oddest feeling of passing through magic - and then stopped short as, when he stepped through to the other side, he found himself on the sharp end of a spear. 

The holder of the spear was a large, much larger than him, Guardian. He had the traditional markings of the Desert Clan, just as the girl Nanaki had met before had. The spear was held in his mouth with ease, as if he had used it a thousand times in his feline form. He probably had. 

"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" a second guard, nearly identical to the first, growled as he stalked up to them. 

Nanaki struggled to remain calm. "I am Nanaki of the Cosmo Canyon Clan, son of Seto and Natsula, grandson of Bugenhagen of the Stars and Ishimi of the Planet. I come here with no ill intentions towards your clan."

The spear was immediately removed from Nanaki's throat, and both of the guards - whom Nanaki was almost certain were twins - lowered themselves in a bow. "Lord Nanaki," the first said, "we welcome you to our land. We had heard that you were gone, however." 

"Yes," the second agreed. "We had heard you had been captured by the People."

"I had been," Nanaki said. "But thanks to some friends of the Planet, I was freed from the People and returned to my home. Who are you?"

"I am Takir," the first said. 

"I am Hakir," the second said. 

_Takir and Hakir, Nanaki thought, __twins if I ever saw some. He was impressed. Twins very rarely both survived amongst the Guardians. Usually one or both died shortly after birth. _

"Is the leader of your Clan around?" Nanaki asked. "I'd like to speak with him."

"I will take you to Lord Cullyn," Hakir said. "Takir, stay here and guard until I return."

"Until you return, then," Takir said, turning away from both of them and fixing his spear on the entranceway.

"Do you have a lot of intruders?" Nanaki asked Hakir as they began the trek towards the Desert Clan's stronghold. 

"Not really," Hakir said. "But after your lordship's disappearance, Lord Cullyn required a strict guarding on the land. No one is allowed in or out of the Great Desert without special permission from Lord Cullyn."

"Really?" Nanaki asked, surprised. "Interesting?"

"How so?" Hakir asked curiously. 

"To be truthful, I'm here looking for someone," Nanaki said. "Just last week or so, I was near Costa Del Sol, and encountered a young female of your clan. She gave me no name, but hurried off quickly. She was in her human guise."

"I can't imagine who it could've been," Hakir said. "None of our kind go near the People, much less take their form. We don't want to be snatched up and captured for experiments, like your lordship."

Nanaki looked at him in surprise. "But not all of the humans are like that," he said, shaking his head. "There are many friends of the Planet - I've been traveling with them since the death of my grandfather, Bugenhagen. The ones who captured me are dead." 

Hakir snorted in contempt. "The only good human is a dead human," he said. "We don't have anything to do with them."

It was then that Nanaki realized he had been incredibly fortunate, growing up in the Cosmo Canyon Clan. Cosmo Canyon had been open to humans for decades, and from the time he was a small cub, he had learned to get along with them and accept the way they were. He was going to have to be very careful while in the boundaries of this clan - and he hoped, silently, that Cloud and the others would wait until he met them in Nibelheim, and not try to find him on their own. 

"Here we are," Hakir said several minutes later. They had just come up a particularly high sand dune, and were now looking down one a desert version of Cosmo Canyon - the stronghold of the Desert Clan. "Come. I will take you to Lord Cullyn."

"This place is giving me the creeps," muttered Barrett as they entered Nibelheim. "I think I liked it better when there were all those people here."

Nibelheim had been abandoned shortly after the defeat of Jenova, and nobody had heard from the people who had been living there again. AVALANCHE had finally come to the conclusion that they had been illusions of Jenova. Now Nibelheim was nothing but a ghost town.

"It's the way it should be," Cloud said, putting his arm around Tifa's shoulders. The two of them stood there silently for a moment, thinking about their childhood that they had spent growing up in the small mountain town. "This is the true Nibelheim."

"At least it didn't burn to the ground again after those illusions vanished," Vincent said, already walking towards the Shinra Mansion, "or we'd have a problem." 

Due to the absolute abandonment of the town, it was easy to spot to short Turk standing in front of the gates to the Mansion. Catherine wrapped her arms around herself and shivered slightly as she waited for them to walk up the path. Cloud and the others hesitated a few feet away, but Vincent walked right up to her. 

"Hi," he said, smiling slightly. 

"Hey," she said, grinning back. They stood there looking at each other for a couple of minutes, and only snapped out of it when Cloud finally cleared his throat. Both Catherine and Vincent broke their gaze, and Catherine blushed slightly. She glanced at the AVALANCHE members, and noticed that they all had knowing expressions on their face. She glanced back at Vincent.

The moment had passed, and the mask was back as he turned to her again, his expression all business. "Where's Reno?" he asked.

"Downstairs in the basement," Catherine replied crisply. "We've been down there since we called you, searching for more information. We also got in touch with Elena and Rude up in Icicle Inn, but it seems that if Ifalna knew anything about Jenova being a Sorceress, or even what a Sorceress _is, she didn't have Professor Gast record it."_

Vincent nodded, then turned to Aeris. "Do you have any idea?" he asked.

Aeris shook her head. "No," she said. "But I'd like to see these writings by my people." 

Catherine unlocked the gate and led them inside. "While Reno has been looking for information on how Jenova was sealed away by the Cetra," she said, "I've been reading up on a particular tradition that the Sorceress' seem to have. The Knight."

"The night?" asked Barret, frowning. 

"As in, warrior Knight," Catherine clarified. "It seems that while Sorceress' were powerful, they preferred to have someone else do their dirty work for them. They usually chose one person and bestowed the gift of guarding and protecting them. The Knights were all male, as the Sorceresses were all female. According to the information I picked up, Sephiroth the Mad was probably Jenova's chosen Knight."

Aeris's expression darkened. "Could we please not call him 'the Mad'?" she asked.

Catherine glanced at her, then at Vincent. The Head Turk nodded slightly, and Catherine bit her lip. "So Sephiroth was Jenova's Knight," she said after a moment of embarrassed silence. She hadn't meant to upset Aeris. "Does any of this help?" she asked as an afterthought.

"It clears some things up," Cloud said. "So Sorceress Linra and Sorceress Jenova come from the same place. Logically speaking, Linra must also have a Knight."

"Another thing," Catherine added as they made their way through the secret passage into the basement. "It would appear that usually, no Sorceress can claim another Sorceress' Knight as their own. But occasionally, if a Sorceress is the _heir to another's power - that is, their apprentice - and something happens to the elder, the new Sorceress can lay claim to the Knight." _

"That's interesting," Cid muttered. "What's the point?"

Catherine hesitated. "Well…Vincent, according to Reeve, when Aeris and her children were leaving the Promised Land, they left Sephiroth behind. And no one knows what happened to him. So…if Linra has him, and if Linra was the heir to Jenova…"

"She'd have a claim on him as a Knight," Vincent said, nodding. "Does the Knighthood have to be consensual?"

"I think so," Catherine said. "I can look up more on it if you like." 

They entered the lab, and Reno looked up from the book he was leafing through. "Finally," he said, an edge to his voice. "I was beginning to go a little stir-crazy down here!" He glared at Catherine, who looked mildly back, then shook his head and motioned for everyone to find a place to sit. 

As the members of AVALANCHE got settled, Catherine suddenly stood up and moved towards the door. "I was looking through some of the buildings earlier and found a couple of books that looked like they might be useful. I forgot to grab them before you came. Reno, can you fill them in on most of the details while I go and get them?"

"Sure, sure, whatever," Reno said, waving her out. Catherine pulled open the door and hurried out of the lab. 

"You can't imagined how pleased I am that Seto's son has come to visit us," the leader of the Great Desert Clan, Cullyn, said to Nanaki. It was after dinner, and most of the clan members were preparing to sleep for the evening. Several small huts lined the desert valley and oasis that the clan had claimed for their own, and Cullyn's hut was more like the massive structure in Cosmo Canyon that Nanaki was used to. "But I'm saddened to hear that Bugenhagen has passed on. The Planet lost a great Guardian when she lost him."

"Yes," Nanaki agreed. "His loss is still being mourned." 

"What's more, I'm shocked at the destruction of the Canyon herself," Cullyn continued. He fixed his blue eyes on Nanaki. "Do you have any idea who did it?"

"I have a few suspicions," Nanaki admitted. "But I don't believe that Cosmo Canyon was the true target, nor I, so I don't think your clan has anything to worry about."

Cullyn looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I see." He stood up from his laying position to a sitting one, and looked every bit the regal leader of a Guardian Clan. Nanaki felt slightly intimidated by his presence - although he was Cosmo Canyon's leader, he'd never had much of an opportunity to act like it. "The sun has set, and nighttime falls. You'll stay the night with us, of course."

"Thank you," Nanaki said, bowing his head slightly.

Cullyn looked amused. "There's no need to bow, Nanaki," Cullyn said. "You and I are equals, after all." 

Nanaki almost bowed again as he got up to go to the room that Cullyn had given him, but stopped himself just in time. He got up and headed for the exit from the dining area. 

"Nanaki. Just a minute."

Nanaki paused and turned to look at Cullyn.

Cullyn was standing now, and took a step towards him, hesitantly. Then he stopped. "As you know, your father and I were great friends," he said. "We'd been friends since we were both cubs, back before the Clans began to isolate themselves."

Nanaki nodded uncertainly. "Yes. I remember my father telling me about you when I was much younger." 

"Well…usually, the royal lines of the Clans are kept pure to the breed," Cullyn continued, "but Seto and I both acknowledged that Cosmo Canyon was dying out. Even before the War of the Gi, your Clan's bloodline was thinning. So Seto and I had an agreement." 

"What agreement?" Nanaki asked, not sure if he liked where he thought this was going. 

Cullyn looked at him. "That his son and my first-born daughter would be wed," he said with authority. "You're betrothed to my oldest daughter, Savannah."

Nanaki stared at him in surprise. "When was this decided?!" he exclaimed. 

"When you were barely a year old," Cullyn said. "I have the entire agreement down on paper, if you want to authenticate it." Taking in the shell-shocked look on Nanaki's face, Cullyn shook his head ruefully. "Of course, you'll need time to think about this. We can bring up the subject again before you leave. Good night, Nanaki." 

Nanaki nodded numbly, then padded off to the room he was staying in. He nudged the door open with his nose and barely remembered to shut it behind him before plopping down on a pile of blankets in the middle of the room. _Betrothed? he thought. __Great. Just great. Thanks a lot, Father. __I'm only 49! I'm too young to take a mate!_

While he was pondering over this sudden turn in events, he dimly registered the sound of claws scratching outside the window. Nanaki picked his head up from between his paws and watched, wide-eyed, as a small Desert Clan female managed to drag herself through the window and into the room. She hit the ground with a soft _thud!, then scrambled to her feet. _

"Oh!" she gasped, her blue eyes widening. 

"What…?" Then Nanaki's own eyes widened as he recognized hers. "You! You're the girl from before! From Costa Del Sol!" 

"Shhh!" the female hissed, crouching down and lying her ears back flat against her skull. "Don't talk so loud or they'll hear you! We're not supposed to take human form."

"Oh," Nanaki whispering. "Then why did you?"

She looked slightly ashamed. "Um…well,  I just don't think all humans are bad." She eyed the door cautiously. "Anyway, nice talking to you - and thanks for the help earlier. I have to go before my father realizes I'm gone." 

"Wait!" Nanaki said, standing up suddenly. "There are a few questions I'd like to answer you!"

The female hesitated, then looked over her shoulder. "Tomorrow," she said softly. "Meet me outside the Great Desert tomorrow - near the shore. I'm sorry - I can't risk it here." With that, she nosed open the door and crept out silently, without a trace. 

_I found her, Nanaki thought, pleased for some odd reason. __And tomorrow I'll get some answers to take back to the others. _

He curled up on the blankets, all thoughts of his betrothal shoved out of his mind. As he drifted off to sleep, one more thought broke through. 

_I wonder what her name is? _

 "Rude, Elena." 

Rude and Elena stepped into Reeve's office, both of them looking like they'd rather be somewhere else. The Neo-Shinra president didn't look like he was in the best mood. 

"Is something wrong, sir?" Elena asked, biting her lip. 

Reeve leaned against his desk and looked at the two Turks. "I'm sorry for calling you back on such short notice - I trust you weren't having much luck anyway?"

"Professor Gast's files didn't have anything useful," Rude reported. "Just the basic Cetra information Ifalna recorded for him - and we already knew most of it, anyway. I hear that Reno and Catherine had more luck."

Reeve's eyes turned dark, and he nodded grimly. "That's partially what I wanted to talk to you two about." He looked straight at Elena. "Elena, you recruited the girl. What do you know about her?"

Elena was taken aback by the question. "What do you mean, sir?" she managed to say.

Reeve looked at her seriously. "Where did she come from? What's she like? Why'd she choose to become a Turk? Anything."

"Well…we're not that close, sir," Elena said. "It's Vincent that she's become attached to. But she told me at the beginning, when I recruited her, that her parents had wandered from town to town before settling in Kalm shortly after she was born. Her father was killed by a Midgar Zolom, and her mother died a few years ago from some sort of virus. She took up traveling after that, until arriving in Neo-Midgar…that was about six months before I met up with her. I was impressed with her abilities, and she showed interest in the Turks, so I brought her in."

"She's hard-working and fiercely loyal," Rude added quietly. 

"I see." Reeve leaned back in his chair and tapped a file sitting on the desk in front of him. "I'm asking this because I was recently sent some information pertaining to Catherine…and I wanted to know if you knew anything about it."

Elena and Rude glanced at each other. "Information? What do you mean, sir?" Elena asked. 

Reeve opened the file and looked at the first page. "Catherine Anya Carruthers, age sixteen, born December 5, height 5'3", weight 120 lbs. Correct?"

"Yes," Elena said, nodding. 

"Mother: Anya Carruthers, Father: Ethan Carruthers, Place of Birth: Kalm. Accurate?"

"Yes." 

"Now here's the part that troubles me," Reeve said. "Also in this file are news clippings pertaining to a certain group of people known as the Chaos Guild. They're said to be a group of people who worship chaos demons - and the one at the top of the list is the Lord of Chaos himself, the very demon that dwells in our friend Vincent's body. 

"Somebody want to enlighten me about why _that would be in this file?" _

"Obviously someone is trying to stir up trouble amongst the Turks," Elena said hotly. "Do you even know who sent you that file?"

Reeve sighed. "It was delivered by messenger, but we couldn't find the messenger afterwards. No, I don't know who sent it." 

"It must be false," Rude interjected. "I've had many conversations with Catherine - she's incredibly bright, very talented at what she does, and while I'll admit that she does like to keep to herself, I find it hard to believe that she could be part of a group like that." 

"And the fact that she seems to have attached herself to Vincent?" Reeve asked uncertainly.

"Pure coincidence," Rude replied.

"I just don't know what to do at this point," Catherine whispered to the image in front of her. "Annabelle, how much longer do I have to keep myself hidden?" 

The ethereal form before her looked at Catherine sympathetically. "We can't afford for you to be revealed at this moment," Annabelle replied. "Catherine, dear, you know how important your task is. You _must convince him of the truth!" _

"But he despises what he's become!" Catherine responded, a note of desperation in her voice. "Annabelle, I'm not sure how objectively I can handle this anymore. When I hear him talk about it - he's so bitter! If he were to realize the truth, it would - Anna, it would kill him!"

Annabelle frowned slightly. "You sound as if you've spoken to him on a personal basis about this." 

Catherine sat down on a large rock near where she had been standing, and hung her head. "Well – to gain his trust, I've had to get close to him. But I can't approach the subject, really, without revealing my identity. I was lucky that the Turks accepted me so easily, but my luck won't stay forever. And if I'm revealed by someone else, all the trust I've built up in him will…will vanish! Annabelle, I don't want that to happen!" 

There was silence. Then Annabelle responded, harshly:

"You stupid girl! You've fallen in love with him, haven't you?" 

Catherine choked back a sob. "So what?" she demanded, blinking back tears and telling herself adamantly not to cry. "What difference does it make if I have or not? I know he's beyond me - despite what you might be thinking, I do pay attention to the elders." 

"He is the Chaos Lord," Annabelle said, her voice cold. "He is the One. Your task is to convince him that he cannot be separate from that which dwells inside of him, Catherine - I suggest that you rid yourself of these foolish fancies and focus on the necessary task." 

Catherine bit her lip and said nothing. 

"Do you have anything else to report?" 

"Yes," she said, slightly relieved to be let off the hook - at least for the time being. "I uncovered some interesting texts written back the Cetra, about Jenova and her time on the Planet. I think it might have something to do with what AVALANCHE is facing right now, but a lot of it is written in the Old Script. It's really quite fascinating – Jenova was what's known as a Sorceress, and if my guess is correct, then –" 

"Catherine."

The coldness had seeped back into Annabelle's voice, and Catherine hesitated. "Y-yes?" 

"You are not there to aid this AVALANCHE group in their efforts. You will not give them any aid which may cause them to wonder at who you are. Do you understand? Your task is to -"

"- to convince the One that he must embrace what dwells inside him, _I know," Catherine said testily. "But, Annabelle, what AVALANCHE is doing is __important, and I just know that I can help! If I can just translate some of those texts, then I can give them some valuable information to help them with what might happen." _

"No."

"Annabelle!" 

"Stick to your task, Catherine. Do not fail us." And with those words, the ethereal being vanished. 

Catherine stared at the point in the air where Annabelle's shadow had been. _I don't understand, she thought numbly. __Why doesn't Annabelle want me to help AVALANCHE? Doesn't she realize that he'll be in danger as well if they fail? I just know that the answers are hidden in those texts - and I'm the only one who can read them!_

_But if the High Elder won't even permit me…_

There was the sound of footsteps coming up behind her. Catherine immediately picked up the crossbow sitting next to her and spun around, pointing it at the intruder's throat.

He calmly reached forward and removed the weapon from her hand. 

"I think you need to be a little more careful about where you point that," Vincent said mildly. 

Catherine gulped. "H-how long were you standing there?" 

"Long enough." 

She felt dizzy, and groped for the rock she had been sitting on. Gratefully she sank onto the cold stone, never taking her eyes off of him. 

"Who are you?" Vincent asked, his expression unfaltering, his tone calm and yet spiked with warning. 

Catherine drew in a shuddering breath. "I'm – I was sent here on a mission," she said. "By my Clan." 

"Your Clan." It was a statement, not a question. An indicator for her to continue. 

"The Chaos Clan," Catherine clarified. "We're an ancient caste - not as ancient as the Cetra, but we go far enough back. We worship the Lord Chaos…or rather, we _worshipped him. It was somewhat hard to continue doing that after he was sealed inside a human who decided to sleep in a coffin for thirty years." _

Vincent didn't react in the slightest to her scathing comment. "What is your mission?" 

_So this is what it's like to be interrogated by a Turk, Catherine thought. __Well, damn it, I'm a Turk, too! I don't have to…Her eyes widened at the sudden realization. _

She was a Turk. 

And Turks, while they generally trusted no one else, trusted each other. 

"I was sent to keep an eye on you," Catherine found herself replying. "When the Elders of the Clan discovered that you were out and about, they were curious as to why the Lord Chaos hadn't returned to his followers. Imagine their surprise when I told them that the Lord they had worshipped for so long was a virtual prisoner inside the human he had been cast into. So the Elders changed my mission.

"My new mission was to convince you, without revealing who I was, that you could not exist apart from Chaos. That you had to embrace the demon and realize that you _were Chaos, and that Chaos was you." She looked him straight in the eye. "Just now I was trying to convince the High Elder to let me assist AVALANCHE in finding information about the current crisis - to no avail."_

"How?" Vincent asked quietly.

"How what?"

"How can you help?" 

"Most of the texts pertaining to Jenova are written in the Old Script, a style of writing that ceased several hundred years ago. My Clan is the only one that uses it, and I can read and translate easily. I wanted to read more of the books in Shinra Mansion to try and answer some of the questions you and your friends seem to be having," Catherine replied. She glanced down at the ground and felt herself blush. "I, um, wanted to be of some use to you." 

"But the Elder refused."

Catherine nodded. 

There was an awkward silence, and Catherine knew that Vincent had to be processing everything she had just told him - and she prayed right then and there that he wouldn't be too angry with her, and that the Elders would never find out that she had gone against their commands.

"Why did you disobey your orders?" 

She looked up at him. "Because I'm a Turk. And you're the Head Turk. And Turks never disobey their leader." 

Was that smile she detected on his face? Nah. Couldn't be. Vincent Valentine never smiled. 

Still…maybe…

"We should get back," he said abruptly, turning away from her. "Pick up your weapon and come on. There's a lot of information, and you and I are the only ones who can read it."

_You and I? Catherine blinked. "You can read Old Script?" _

Vincent glanced over his shoulder. "I was a student of linguistics before I became a Turk," he replied. "Come on, Cat. We don't have much time to waste." 

Catherine's jaw dropped, first at the revelation about his past, then at the fact that he was still calling her by the nickname he had given her. She quickly scooped up her weapon and hurried after him. 

Maybe there was still hope yet. Even if the Clan didn't forgive her, even if Vincent didn't accept Chaos – well, there were always the Turks. 

But for now, she had an ancient text to translate. 

They weren't far from the Shinra Mansion when both of them stopped in their tracks. "Did you feel that?" Catherine whispered. "That aura…" 

"I felt it," Vincent said grimly. "And I don't believe it." 

Catherine looked at him. "Why? Do you recognize it?" 

"I'm hoping I'm wrong," he said. He reached out and took her hand in his, pulling her along behind him as he started to run towards the Mansion. "We need to get to Cloud." 


	27. Do You Believe This?

**Final Fantasy: Revelations **

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Do You Believe This?**

"Are you okay, Zell?"

Zell looked up from where he was sitting in the Library. He was in the room that he and Quistis had been researching the maps, and although there was no need to do that now that they had identified the City of the Ancients, he had gone there to think. 

"Hi, Quistis," he said softly, keeping his eyes focused on the table in front of him. "How'd you know I was here?"

"Lucky guess," Quistis said, pulling a chair up next to him. "After you stormed out of the Headmaster's office, we searched for you. You weren't in the Cafeteria, the Quad, the Training Center, the Infirmary, or the Dormitory, and nobody in Balamb had seen you - then I remembered that you never turned in the key to this room to the Headmaster. So here I am. And here you are. Do you want to talk?"

Zell shook his head, but at the same time he slammed his fist down on the table. "This is unbelievable," he said angrily. "All this time, my _real mother has been alive - and the Headmaster knew it! And now…Hyne, Quisty, I'm not even human!" He turned in his chair to look at her. "Do you think this is a mistake, Quistis? I mean, I look human…right?" _

Quistis bit her lip. "Well, actually…after you left, Squall brought up that same thing. I don't think he trusts Savannah. But according to her, Guardians can move freely between human form and feline form. The feline form is their true form." 

"But I was a baby," Zell whispered. "How could I have done it? How could I have changed to human if feline is the true form?" 

"I don't know," Quistis said. "But Savannah probably does. You should talk to her, Zell."

"Right," Zell said bitterly. "Talk to the woman who refused to raise me. She could've taken me with her, dammit!" 

Quistis leaned forward in her chair and wrapped her arms around him, pressing his face into her neck. "I know," she whispered. "I feel so confused, too, Zell. Suddenly I'm not sure I know who I am. At least I know now why I keep seeing that woman - she's my mother. I used to wish that I knew who my real parents were, but now I sort of wish I hadn't found out. It's just made things more complicated."

Zell put his arms around her waist and held her tightly. "What's going to happen next?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled by her neck. They pulled away slightly so that they could look at each other. 

"Cid's asking us to come to another meeting, now that we've had time to think about this," a voice said from the doorway. They looked up to see Squall standing there. He looked slightly embarrassed by what he had walked in on, but he recovered his composure quickly. "I think he wants to finish telling us what the hell is going on." 

"Good," Zell said harshly. "I'm ready for some answers." 

"You were telling us about how you knew Sorceress Linra was reawakening," Seifer said several minutes later, when they were all reassembled in the Headmaster's office.

The seating arrangement had changed to a degree. Zell and Quisits sat next to each other, holding hands, but next to Quistis sat Seifer, and Rinoa on the other side. The knowledge that they were all related had freaked them all out to a degree, but at the same time they were feeling something of a connection. Standing by the wall behind Rinoa was Squall, and a few feet away sat Irvine and Selphie. Behind them, Savannah leaned against the wall quietly, her gaze flickering from between Zell and Cid.  

"Right," Cid said, nodding. "You see, when AVALANCHE fought Linra, we ended up sealing her away using our various abilities. Aeris and Sephiroth used their powers to take our lifeforce and combine them into one great power, which entombed Linra inside a crystal. There was one problem with this method, however - should our souls be rejoined in one place, Linra would awaken.

"To counter that, we also used the power of Linra's sister, Hyne, who came to the Planet from the Sorceress' world to aid us. With Hyne's power added to the mix, we didn't need to worry about being together in a group, since Sorceress Hyne never left the Northern Continent after that."

"So, why would Linra begin to awaken now?" Selphie asked, frowning in confusion.

"Because the souls are together again," Savannah replied. "The lifeforce of each of us were passed on to you - our children - and in combination with your souls, Cid, and Rinoa's Sorceress powers, Linra has begun to awaken." 

"Even when we realized how dangerous it was for all of you to be together at the start of the battle against Ultimeicia, we never expected Rinoa to gain Hyne's power," Cid said. "But because it has happened, we need to remedy the situation immediately. We need to go to the City of the Ancients, which Zell and Quistis has located, and destroy Linra once and for all. AVALANCHE didn't possess the power or the strength, but you've already beaten one Sorceress - I have faith that you can handle another." 

"Hold it," Zell said sharply. "The City of the Ancients is _underwater," he said. "How the hell are we supposed to get to it, much less fight a Sorceress there? None of us can breathe underwater." _

"He's got a point," Irvine said. "'Sides which - you're expecting a lot out of us, Headmaster, and we're _still not too sure about this whole 'children of AVALANCHE' thing. I mean, do you have __anything to __prove that we are?"_

"Quistis' limit break power and Zell's mark are proof of their identity," Cid said. "Squall, your ring was passed down from Reeve." 

"What about the rest of us?" Rinoa asked. "And Squall is flimsy at best. The only _proof you have, Headmaster, is that we have the same first names and we more or less look like them." _

Savannah reached up and massaged her temples. "What do you want us to do, pull out birth certificates and DNA evidence? All of that was lost five hundred years ago!" 

"I've seen pictures of AVLANCHE in history books," Zell said suddenly. "Rinoa, I can see. Selphie, I can see. I'll believe you on Seifer, since you said he was older than the rest of us - but clue me in on Irvine. Vincent Valentine was six foot exactly, had red eyes, and long - and I do mean long - black hair. The only thing Irvine has is the height and the hair length." 

Cid frowned at them. "Why are you trying to make this difficult?"

"We're not," Seifer cut in. "We just want to make sure you've got the right people."

Cid glanced over at Savannah, who mouthed the word '_denial'. He nodded in agreement. "Well, I don't have any way of absolutely proving it beyond reasonable doubt," he said. "Sorry, Irvine. You'll just have to trust me." _

Irvine just shook his head, but didn't say anything because at that precise moment, there was a knock on the Headmaster's door. "Yes?" Cid called. 

Xu stuck her head in. "Sorry to bother you, sir, but there's a young woman here to speak with you. She says she's got a situation with Mr. Kinneas." 

Selphie glared at Irvine. "_What did you do now?"_

"I haven't a clue," Irvine said defensively.

"What does she want?" Cid asked. 

Xu hesitated. "Well…according to her…she's his sister."  


	28. Deadly Enemies

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Deadly Enemies**

"Cloud!" 

"CLOUD!" 

Cloud ran out of the basement library and looked down the cavernous hallway, already knowing that something serious was going on. After all, Vincent was shouting.

Vincent never shouted.

Therefore, something serious was going on.

"What is it?" he asked, looking at the tall man anxiously. 

At that precise moment, there was a loud crash from inside the library. Cloud, Vincent, and Catherine ran into room and stopped short. 

Aeris was kneeling on the ground, surrounded by broken glass from something she must have dropped. Her green eyes were wide with shock, and she was shaking. "What happened?" Cloud demanded.

"She jus' collapsed," Barrett said, shaking his head. "I don' got a clue why."

Tifa quickly knelt down next to Aeris and put her hand on the older woman's shoulder. "Aeris? What's wrong?" 

"The babies," Aeris whispered. "We have to get to my babies. He'll kill them. She'll make him kill them."

"Who?" Reno demanded, but then shut up when Cloud spun around and sprinted out of the library. "Hey! Where the hell is he going?" 

Tifa knew. "Back to the Highwind," she said. "That's where Quisty and Seifer are. We better give him some back-up." 

"Tifa, you stay here with Aeris," Barrett ordered. 

Tifa glared at him. "Excuse me?" 

"Just do it, Tifa," Vincent said quietly. "Barrett, Catherine, Reno and I will give Cloud his back-up. You stay here with Aeris. The last thing we need to do is endanger Cloud's _other child." _

The martial artist frowned irritably, but nodded and turned back to her friend. 

Vincent removed the Death Penalty from its holster. "Let's go." 

Cloud sprinted for the Highwind, which was parked just outside of Nibelheim. He frantically dialed the PHS, trying to get a hold of Cid and Yuffie, who had stayed onboard to watch the children. But while the phone was ringing, no one was picking up. And the Highwind was just sitting there calmly. 

The ex-mercenary reached the rope ladder and hauled himself up it as fast as he could. Faintly, behind him, he could hear Barrett shouting his name, but he didn't slow down. His daughter was in danger. That was all that mattered. 

And the moment he set foot on the Highwind's deck, he came face-to-face with the cause of the danger. 

Cloud's face paled as Mako blue eyes met equally bright green eyes. 

"Sephiroth," Cloud whispered, staring at his old nemesis. 

And indeed this was his old nemesis. There was no sign of the kind man that Aeris claimed to have fallen in love with. His expression was one of cruelty, and long Masamune strapped to a side as a reminder of what he could accomplish with the cruelty. The only difference between this Sephiroth and the Sephiroth Cloud had defeated, it seemed, was that the one before him was completely sane. 

Cloud unstrapped the Ultima Weapon from his back and held it before him. "What are you doing here?" he hissed. 

Sephiroth unsheathed his Masamune calmly and pointed it at Cloud. His green eyes were cold, and when he spoke his tone was cruel. "I'm merely doing what my Mistress requires," he said in a low voice. "The death of these children, and you as well, will make her very pleased." 

Cloud narrowed his eyes in anger. "You monster," he spat. "I was willing to give you a second chance after hearing what Aeris said, but now I'm convinced that you've been deceiving her. How else would you be able to speak so calmly about killing your own son?!" With a shout of anger, he leaped forward, Ultima Weapon poised for the attack.

Sephiroth leaped back and brought up the Masamune, blocking Cloud's thrust. He spun around and swept the long blade in a smooth arc, aiming directly for Cloud's throat. Cloud ducked under Sephiroth's arm to dodge, then turned to attack again. 

Down on the ground, Vincent looked up at the Highwind and gasped. "Stop!" he shouted, holding up his hand. "We can't go up there!" 

"Why the hell not?" Barrett and Reno demanded. 

"Vincent?" Catherine asked inquisitively.

Vincent stared up at the fight that only he could see. "Cloud and Sephiroth are locked in combat up there," he said softly. "And they're out for blood." 

Barrett stared at Vincent. "Sephiroth?! But I thought Aeris said he'd changed!" 

_There's something wrong with his aura, Vincent thought. "Catherine," he said softly. "Your clan - can you identity demonic possession?" _

Catherine looked at him, and bit her lip. "I can try." Taking a deep breath, she clasped her hands in front of her and muttered a few incoherent words under her breath. 

"What's she doin'?" Reno muttered.

"Like I know?" snapped Barrett.

Catherine opened her eyes and looked up at the Highwind. "Someone up there is definitely possessed," she replied. "I can't tell Sephiroth from Cloud, but I'm pretty sure that we'd know if Cloud had been possessed. Logic says it's Sephiroth. But I can't identify who it is that's causing the possession."

"Whoa," murmured Barrett and Reno. 

Vincent nodded. "All right. Reno, use your PHS to try and contact Cid. We need to get everyone off the ship while Cloud keeps Sephiroth occupied. Catherine, run back to Nibelheim and get Aeris – she's the only one who can perform an exorcism." 

"What are you going to do?" Catherine asked.

Vincent looked at her, his red eyes grim. "I'm going to keep those two from killing each other." 

Barrett looked at him, then shook his head ruefully. "Damn, Vincent…you scare me sometimes, man."

Reno was already dialing the Highwind's number. "Come on," he said to Barrett. "Let's get on the other side of the ship. I'm not getting good reception here." The two men took off in that direction.

Catherine turned to Vincent. "You're going to use it, aren't you?" she asked quietly.

Vincent looked at her. "It might be my only option," he said truthfully. "I have no doubt that Sephiroth and Cloud will be no match for it – what worries me is that I won't be able to control myself. Hurry back with Aeris, Catherine."

She nodded. Then, quickly, she stepped forward, stood on her toes, and planted a quick kiss on his mouth. "Be careful," she said, turning and taking off towards Nibelheim.

Vincent watched her go for a moment, but was snapped out of his thoughts by a sudden shout of pain from the Highwind. _Damn it, you two – don't go killing each other after everything we've gone through now! He took off towards the rope ladder hanging from the ship's deck, and prayed that help would come soon. _


	29. It's Been Awhile

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: It's Been Awhile**

"Sister!" everyone exclaimed, looking first at Xu, and then at Irvine. 

Irvine just looked confused. "Which one?" he asked. "Is it Jessa? McKenzie? Alicia? Suzanne?" All of these were his sisters that he'd gained when the Kinneas family had adopted him. 

Xu shook her head. "No. She says she's your _biological sister." _

Now Irvine looked even _more confused. "B-biological?" he stammered. "But that's – that's impossible! I don't __have any blood relatives left alive!" _

Savannah looked at Cid, one eyebrow arched. "Do you think…?"

"It's possible," Cid said, nodding slightly. He turned to Xu. "Bring the girl in." 

Xu hesitated. "With…everyone here?"

The Headmaster nodded.

Xu pulled her head out of the room and spoke quietly to someone out in the hallway. As they waited, everyone immediately turned to Irvine and began bombarding him with questions. 

"For the last time, no, I did not know that I have a biological sister," Irvine finally exclaimed. "According to the Galbadian government, all of my blood relations are dead. I don't have a clue about how this happened." 

"Um…excuse me?"

As one, everyone turned to look at the young woman standing in the doorway. She was dressed entirely in black – even her hair was black – and her eyes seemed almost red. Her hair was pulled back in a long braid, and her skin was incredibly pale. Noticeable, however, was the crossbow attached to her side, just barely visible underneath the black cloak she was wearing. "Hi," she said uncertainly. "Um…I'm looking for Irvine Kinneas. I was told I could find him here. My name is…"

"_Tera?!" _

Once again, everyone turned together to look at Seifer, who was staring at the girl with an expression of shock, amazement, and (although Squall wasn't entirely sure of this) betrayal and anger as well. 

Tera paled. "Se-seifer?" 

"I don't_ believe this," Seifer snarled. "I so don't __believe this! Irony, huh? That damn DNA search you were conducting leads you __here – to the very place you ended up turning me over to!" He looked at Irvine. "Con__gratulations, Kinneas – if she really is your sister, you've got one hell of a family. I'm outta here." He stalked past the group, past Tera, and out of the room._

"Seifer!" Cid called. When the nineteen-year-old failed to respond, he sighed and turned to Tera. "Sorry about that. This has been a hard day for all of us. Please, sit down. We've been expecting you."

"We have?" Irvine, Squall, Quistis, Rinoa, Selphie, and Zell asked in unison.

"You have?" Tera asked at the same time. 

"I'm Cid Highwind, the Headmaster here at Balamb Garden" Cid went on, completely ignoring his SeeDs. "So your name is Tera? Tera what?"

"Carruthers," Tera replied, sitting uncertainly next to Rinoa on one of the couches in the office. "But I'm not sure if that's my real last name or not. It's been kind of rough on me, too, since Seifer was picked up."

Squall suddenly snapped his fingers. "Tera Carruthers. You're the one who called in that you knew where he was." 

Tera nodded, playing with the end of her braid nervously. "We met in FH not long after the Ultimeicia Incident. Then, when Fujin and Raijin came back here, Seifer moved into my apartment in Deling City. It was hard at first, since we had to make sure nobody would see him, but it was okay. The only rough spot was when I would try to convince him to give Balamb Garden a second try. That's why I called in – because he wouldn't do it himself." 

"You did the right thing," Cid assured her, "even if Seifer doesn't seem to agree. So. You're Irvine's sister."

"This is too weird," muttered Irvine. "Oh, yeah…I'm Irvine."

Tera smiled at him shyly and nodded. "I went to the ranch before coming here – your mother showed me pictures so that I could recognize you."

"They don't look alike," Zell commented. "You sure they're related?"

"Don't mind him," Quistis said. "We all just got a big shock in discovering our own heritage…but Zell always talks before he thinks. I'm Quistis Trepe." She pointed to Squall and Rinoa. "He's Squall Leonheart, and she's Rinoa Heartilly." 

"And I'm Selphie Tilmitt," Selphie said, immediately holding out her hand to the other girl. "Nice to meet you!" 

"My pleasure," Tera replied, shaking her hand. Then, suddenly, her eyes widened. "Oh, wait a minute…you're the SeeDs who defeated Ultimeicia, aren't you? I didn't even make the connection before!"

"Yeah, well…" Irvine just shrugged. "Anyway…you said you're my sister. How'd you find out?" 

"That's not what's important right now," Cid interrupted. "What's important is figuring out how this happened." 

Everyone turned to look at him. "Cid?" Savannah asked questionably. 

"With the name Carruthers and the way she looks, there's no doubt that she's telling the truth," Cid said. "The problem is that when the Ragnarok launched, Irvine didn't _have a sister, and even if Catherine had been pregnant before we left, there's no way that the child could have ended up 500 years into the future. So we need to figure out how Tera came to be here."_

"I'm surprised at you, Cid," Savannah said, shaking her head. "Have you forgotten who Catherine Valentine _was?" _

"What're they talking about?" Tera whispered to Rinoa.

"Half of it's complicated, and we're as clueless about the rest as you are," Rinoa whispered back. 

"Catherine Valentine?" Irvine cut in. "My mother?" 

"Yes," Savannah said. "And a member of the Chaos Clan, a clan who worshipped the demon Chaos. She became involved in AVALANCHE much in the same way I did – by circumstance and chance meeting. You see, Vincent Valentine was an enigma – he was a sixty-something-year-old man in the body of a thirty-year-old, and the only thing that kept him looking young was the fact that he had four demons residing within him, the most powerful the Chaos demon himself. Over time, Chaos and Vincent more or less became one, even if Vincent hadn't wanted to admit it."

"Catherine's clan had sent her to infiltrate the Turks, a special tactics group working for Neo-Shinra, in order to keep an eye on Vincent," Cid added. "She was only supposed to try and convince him to accept the demon and nothing more, but she ended up turning away from her clan when Linra appeared, mostly because she'd fallen in love with him." He looked at Savannah. "But I don't see what that has to do with Tera being here."  

Savannah sighed. "The Chaos Clan was well-versed in several different branches of magic. It's very possible that Catherine…or somebody…could have sent Tera into the future after she was born."

"But how would Catherine have _known?" Cid asked. He growled in frustration and slammed his fist down on his desk. "We know so little about what happened between the time we left Neo-Midgar and the time we crashed in Centra. And I don't like surprises, especially when you consider what's at stake here. We don't have time to second-guess ourselves!" _

"Could somebody explain what's going on?" Tera asked uncertainly. "I think I've come at a bad time."

"No," Savannah said, shaking her head. "Actually, we're glad you're here. Being the daughter of a member of the Chaos Clan, you've probably got a lot of raw potential in the magickal arts, and a different strand than the Cetra practice. That's something we can use to our advantage." 

Squall suddenly stood up and faced the Headmaster. "We know what you've told us," he said. "I think it's time that we stopped talking and started to come up with a plan. You say that we have to stop Linra before she wakes up completely. How are we supposed to do that? The City of the Ancients, according to Zell and Quistis, is several miles underwater." 

Cid nodded and resumed his seat behind his desk. "We'll take the Ragnarok to the approximate location, and then send a team underwater to bind Linra to the City again. Savannah will head that team, since she knows what needs to be done. Rinoa, Quistis, Seifer, and Zell will go with her, because out of all of you, only they can enter the City through what's left of the binding spell. The rest of us will wait on the Ragnarok to give them back-up if anything goes wrong."

"Somebody should go find Seifer and fill him in," Quistis said. "When are we going?" 

"Tomorrow morning," Cid said. "I want you all to get a good night's sleep. Tera, we need to find you a place to stay for the night." 

"She can stay with me," Quistis said. "My room's a double, and that's pretty big for just myself." 

Cid nodded. "Okay. Squall, could you go find Seifer and tell him the situation?" 

"Um, Mr. Kramer?" Tera asked uncertainly. "Could – would it be all right if _I told Seifer? I need to talk to him anyway." _

Cid seemed to hesitate, probably thinking about Seifer's earlier reaction to Tera's arrival. He glanced at Savannah, who nodded slightly. "Granted," he said to Tera. "Can you find him?"

Tera nodded. "I think I can handle it." 

"I'll go with you," Irvine said suddenly. "Just until you find him. Garden's a lot bigger than you think." 

"Appreciated," Tera replied, flashing him a quick smile. She had been hoping she'd get a chance to talk to him alone, and searching for the not-so-easy-to-find Seifer Almasy would give them time to do that. 

"We'll meet by the Ragnarok at 0600 hours," Cid said. "_Be there." _

Everyone except for Tera stood up and saluted the Headmaster sharply. "Sir!" 

"SeeDs dismissed," the Headmaster replied. "Get a good night's sleep, everyone. I'll see you tomorrow." 

"So, how long have you known Squall and the others?" Tera asked after she and Irvine had walked in silence for several minutes, trying to think of something to say to each other. 

"Oh, since we were kids," Irvine said, titling his hat back slightly. "We grew up in the same orphanage together, but then Selphie, Zell, and I got adopted and we left. Squall, Quistis, and Seifer came straight here, to Garden, when they were old enough, and then last year we were all reunited. It took everyone awhile the remember each other, but now our memories are intact." 

"Why would you forget?" she asked quizzically.

"You ever use a GF?" Irvine asked.

Tera shook her head. "I know what they are, but no, I've never used one."

"A side-effect of using GF is that you wind up losing some of your memories," Irvine explained. "The longer you use them, to riskier it gets. But new studies have shown that if you're aware of the memory loss and you've managed to regain some of the memories, the rest will come back and you'll be able to guard yourself from further loss. That's why Balamb Garden still let's us use GFs in combat." 

"Garden seems like a nice place," Tera said as she looked around the main hall. "My mother…well, I guess she was my adopted mother…we went to look at Galbadia Garden once, when I was younger and was showing an interest in it. But it was too expensive for us to get into. But Galbadia seemed sort of cold to me, anyway. Not like here." 

Irvine nodded. "If my family's ranch hadn't been doing so well in the couple of years before I went in, we never would've gotten the money for my tuition. As it was, we ended up getting me a scholarship because of my marksmanship to pay for what we couldn't. I'm glad that I came here, though – partially because I feel more at ease with the people here, and the other reason is that here at Garden, I can join SeeD. I never used to want to, but after fighting alongside Squall and everyone against Ultimeicia, I decided this was what I wanted to do. I think that's what motivates Rinoa, too."

"Was Rinoa at the orphanage?" Tera asked. "She sounded like she was from Galbadia."

"Yeah, Deling City," Irvine replied. "No, Rinoa wasn't at the orphanage. Our group met her when a group of Timber rebels commissioned a team of SeeD from Garden way back before anyone had ever even _heard the name Ultimeicia. This was actually before I joined the group, but from what I hear, Rinoa was the leader of this rebel group – a group that went against her father, General Caraway. Well, foster father, I guess. All this talk about real parents and everything is making my head spin. Anyway, Rinoa's here at Balamb now as a special case. Although eighteen is the cut-off for students not planning to be SeeD, she's allowed to take one year of classes here, and then apply to SeeD. It's mostly a formality, since she's already proven herself." _

"What about you?" Tera asked. "When do you take the SeeD test?" 

"In a couple of months," Irvine replied. "I don't have to do the year thing since I've already attended Galbadia Garden for most of my schooling. But enough about me – what about you?" 

Tera shrugged. "Well, I lived in East Galbadia with my adopted parents, but my father died when I was a little girl and my mother died a few years ago. After that I bought a small studio apartment in Deling City, where I do freelance work as an artist. About a year ago, I found out that my mother had written into her will that I had an inheritance, but that I wouldn't receive it until I found my birth father. That was the first time I'd heard that the man I thought was my father wasn't really my father. When I talked to the Galbadian registry, they said that my DNA didn't match anyone in Galbadia…not even the woman I thought was my mother." 

"So you started to search elsewhere?" Irvine asked.

She nodded. "I went all over the world, and eventually ended up in FH. That's where I met Seifer, Fujin, and Raijin. I hung out with them for a couple of weeks, then returned to Deling City because I needed to get back to work. Then, about a month or so later, Seifer showed up at my door alone. I took him in, and we actually had a good system going. I took care of all the  errands and everything, and he took up my freelance work to help pay the rent. Did you know he's a very talented artist?"

Irvine shook his head. "Didn't have a clue. So what happened to make him so mad at you?"

"I was the one who called in his location to you guys," Tera said. "I guess he felt betrayed by it." She bit her lip. "I didn't mean to make him mad, I was just tired of him refusing to get in contact with Balamb and try again, like Fujin and Raijin. I think he was afraid of rejection, and also that he didn't feel worthy enough. When I found out that you were here, I decided that I'd try and find him and apologize."

"Well, here's your chance," Irvine said as they entered the Quad. He pointed down to one of the lower levels, which was almost deserted, where a lone figure sat on a bench in the corner. "Go talk to him." 

Tera smiled in thanks. "We'll talk later?"

"You bet," Irvine said, giving her a quick salute. "Dinner's at six – you can eat with us. We usually eat as a group. Seifer, too, if he's up to it. Ja ne."

"Ja." When Irvine had left the Quad, she turned back to where Seifer was sitting and drew in a deep breath before walking over to him. 

"Hey," she said softly. 

_It's been awhile_

_Since I could hold my head up high_

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I first saw you_

A pair of cold green eyes looked up at her. "What do you want?" Seifer snapped. "Here to ruin my life some more? I suppose now you're going to tell me that you turned me into the Galbadian government, too, huh? What, is there another price on my head? How much did you get paid for this, anyway? I know there was a reward." 

Tera stepped back, stung at his sharp words. "For your information," she replied, fighting to maintain her composure, "_yes, there was a reward, but I didn't take it. And of course I didn't turn you into the Galbadian government! What kind of person do you think I am?!" _

"Gee, that's the exact question I've been asking myself," Seifer muttered. "I _thought you were my friend." _

"I am your friend, Seifer." __

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I could stand on my own two feet again_

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I could call you_

"Friends don't turn in each other!" Seifer said, standing up and turning to look at her. "They don't go against each other's wishes! And they _don't stick their noses into each other's business!" _

"I had to do it, Seifer," Tera said quietly, wrapping her arms around herself and looking down at the ground. "I could see what being away from Balamb was doing to you. It was tearing you apart, Seifer…you were so scared of being rejected –" 

"Scared?!" Seifer laughed derisively. "What would you know about it?"

"Plenty," was the swift response. "Seifer, I don't know if you know this, but you have a tendency to talk in your sleep. I could hear you. And I know you had nightmares about it, and that you lost a lot of sleep over it. You were good at hiding your feelings during the day, but your subconscious always betrayed you."

Seifer had gone pale at her words, but when she finished, he shook his head stubbornly. "Look, just leave me alone," he said, turning his back on her. "There's nothing l have to say to you anymore."   

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I can say that I wasn't addicted_

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I can say I love myself as well as_

"Seifer, _please," Tera pleased, stepping forward and putting her hand on his arm. _

"I said leave me alone!" he shouted, pulling his arm away and shoving her back. "What part of that don't you understand?!" 

Tera's temper reached its breaking point. "I understand it perfectly," she said through clenched teeth. "What I _don't understand is how I could've ever fallen in love with a creep like you!" She gasped suddenly and covered her mouth, eyes widened. _

Seifer stared at her in shock. "W-what?" he managed after a moment. 

Tera took a step back, shaking her head. "N-nothing," she whispered. "Nothing. Just forget it. Um, the headmaster said that we're leaving at 6 tomorrow morning. I, uh, gotta go." She spun around and ran out of the Quad, her cape flying behind her. __

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I've gone and fucked things up just like I always do_

_And it's been awhile_

_But all that shit seems to disappear when I'm with you_

Seifer stared after her in shock. _Did she just say…what I think she just said? His heart was pounded unusually fast, and he wasn't sure why. He could barely process what had just happened. _

"What the hell are you doing, baka?"

Seifer spun around to see Quistis glaring down at him. She was standing on one of the higher tiers in the Quad, leaning against a railing. Zell was standing next to her, trying his best to look inconspicuous. 

"Are you _spying on me?" Seifer sputtered. _

"I wasn't the first one," Quistis said. She pointed at something over Seifer's shoulder. "Look." 

Seifer knew with absolute certain that there was no one behind him, and he just shook his head. Zell sighed. "Just do it, Almasy. Maybe you'll see whoever it is and Quisty won't feel like she's going nuts." 

_And everything I can't remember_

_As fucked up as it all may seem_

_The consequences that I've rendered_

_I've gone and fucked things up again_

Seifer turned, and froze. 

Standing a few feet away from him was a young woman dressed entirely in a pink outfit. And she was glaring at him, not in a way that showed hatred, but more like the way Matron had glared at him as a child whenever he'd done something wrong. Like…_like a mother would to a son, he thought. __Can't be…_

The woman glanced at the exit to the Quad, looked back at him, then disappeared. Obviously she wanted him to go after her. 

Seifer spun around to look at Quistis again, but his sister and Zell were gone. 

He looked back at the place where the woman had stood. __

_Why must I feel this way?_

_Just make this go away_

_Just one more peaceful day_

_I'm such an idiot! Tera cursed herself as she speed-walked towards the Dormitory. She'd checked the Garden directory for the location of Quistis' room, and was now doing her best to get there without getting lost. __I can't believe I did that! _

"Tera!" 

She froze. _There's no way…_

"Tera, would you stop?!" Seifer grabbed her arm and spun her around in the middle of the Dormitory main hall. "You're like a demon when you want to get away – how can you even walk that fast in those boots?"

Tera looked down at the ground, unable to bring herself to look at his face. "What do you want, Seifer?" she asked quietly. 

"I…" Seifer hesitated. What did he want? What had possessed him to run after her? "Tera. This thing tomorrow…it's going to be dangerous. I know that." 

She looked at him.

"The thing is…well, the last thing I need is regrets," he said. "And having to deal with the idea of you hating me or something would be a pretty big regret." 

  __

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I could look at myself straight_

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I said I'm sorry_

"Get to the point, Seifer," Tera said. "You know I hate it when people avoid the subject." 

"You don't even know what the subject it, so hush," Seifer said, but not at all harshly. "We both did some pretty rotten things, Tera – okay, maybe I was a little more rotten than you – but that's okay. That's just the way we are." 

"Okay, who are you and what did you do with Seifer Almasy?" she demanded. 

"Would you shut up?" He smiled at her, a very rare thing indeed. That smile was one of the things she loved about him, and she had cherished every select one he'd given her in the months they'd been living together.

"Would you get to the point?" Tera countered. 

He rolled his eyes. "Okay. Fine." 

And he kissed her. 

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I've seen the way the candles light your face_

_And it's been awhile_

_But I can still remember just the way you taste_

They pulled apart after a couple of minutes. "Okay," Tera managed. "Wow." 

"That all you can say?" Seifer smirked. She kicked him in the shin. "Itaiiiii. Way to ruin a moment." 

Tera thought of saying something more, but decided to let it go. Seifer took this opportunity to ask her a question. "So…how long are you planning on staying here?" 

She looked thoughtful. "Well…I guess for tomorrow's thing, since the Headmaster seems to want me around – but anything past that, I don't know, _especially since no one will tell me what the hell is going on."_

Seifer stepped back and took her hand. "How about you come with me, then, and I'll fill you in on everything?" He moved in the direction of the Dormitory. 

"In your room, right?" Tera asked dryly. "I noticed that you still had one when I looked at the Directory." Then she grinned. "Lead the way, Mr. Knight."

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I could hold my head up high_

_And it's been awhile_

_Since I said I'm sorry_


	30. Return of the OneWinged Angel

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty: Return of the One-Winged Angel**

The sound of metal on metal echoed in the darkness as Cloud and Sephiroth battled it out on the Highwind, each of them determined to kill the other. It was a replay of their final duel, only this time, Sephiroth wasn't going to be so easy to kill. 

Cloud dodged to one side, hit the ground, rolled, sprang up to his feet again and blocked the Masamune with the Ultima Weapon. Sephiroth spun, bringing the long saber around in the other direction, and caught Cloud in his sword arm before he could move. Cloud hissed in pain as blood trickled from the cut on his bicep. "Bastard," he snarled as he tried to lift the Ultima Weapon, but with the weight of the sword being what it was his wound made it impossible. _Next trick. _

Sephiroth brought the Masamune down again, intending on catching Cloud's other arm, but the ex-mercenary ducked under his arm and turned to face him, sheathing the sword onto his back and bringing his arms out in front of him. "_Ultima!" he cast. _

"_Wall!" was Sephiroth's addition, and he merely doubled over slightly as the Ultima attack hit him. His green eyes flashed, and Cloud knew that it hadn't been nearly good enough. Sephiroth raised his sword about him and inscribed in arc in front of him. "__Holy!" _

"_Wall!" _

Cloud and Sephiroth both turned at the new voice as the magic was negated due to the strong barrier spell. "Vincent, stay out of this," Cloud said, his eyes narrowed. "This is between me and him." 

Vincent stepped up beside Cloud. "That's not as true as you think," he said. "Someone is controlling him, Cloud. Catherine's gone to get Aeris, but we've got to keep him occupied for now. My guess is, it's our mysterious Sorceress who's pulling the strings."

"He doesn't look like he's being controlled," Cloud countered. 

"And why would he?" Vincent asked. "He didn't when Jenova was pulling the strings." 

Cloud looked unconvinced. 

"Test him," Vincent said. 

"Like how?" Cloud asked. 

Vincent looked at Sephiroth. "Sephiroth…who is Aeris Gainsborough?"

Sephiroth smirked. "One of the last Cetra. My Mistress has ordered her death. She has commanded me to kill all of AVALANCHE." 

"And who, Sephiroth, is AVALANCHE?" Vincent asked quietly. 

Sephiroth continued to smirk. "You, of course." 

_This is getting us nowhere, Vincent thought. __I have to prove to Cloud that he's under the Sorceress' control. "Sephiroth –"_

"—who was Zack?" Cloud suddenly interjected. 

Sephiroth looked at Cloud blankly. "Zack?" he repeated. "I won't have you asking worthless ques…tions…." Suddenly Sephiroth seemed to stumble back, and he brought a hand up to his head. "Zack," he whispered. "Wha --? How? Who? Zack…" 

And then his eyes hardened again, and he straightened up. "Zack is nothing," he said coldly.

Cloud looked grim. "Let's go, Vincent. We'll stop him together. There's no way that Sephiroth, in his own mind, would ever forget Zack. They were too close for that." 

_Nice job, Cloud, Vincent thought. "You're hurt, Cloud," he said out loud. "Let me handle this." _

Cloud looked at Vincent…and then froze. 

Vincent was at his Limit. 

The glow of the Limit Break wrapped around him, and Cloud watched silently as the changes began. He had seen the silent Turk transform quite a few times, and each time had been just as bone-chilling as the next, but that didn't stop him from realizing that there was something different about the changes this time. They were slower, almost calmer. They were more…

Controlled. 

Wings sprouted, claws formed, inch by inch any resemblance to the human Vincent vanished as he gave into the form of Chaos. And when the transformation was complete, he stood there are glared at Sephiroth. But he did not echo the challenging cry he usually did when he entered battle. 

"Vincent?" Cloud whispered. 

Chaos snapped his head in Cloud's direction, his eyes flashing. And then his mouth opened, and the roar came. With a shriek of fury, he launched himself in Cloud's direction. Cloud was prepared for this. "_Stop!" he cast. The demon froze, and Cloud used that split second to launch himself over the side of the Highwind and land on the ground, rolling as he did so. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sephiroth perform the same trick._

From above them, Chaos snapped out of the stupor, opened his wings, and launched himself into the air. It was unclear who his target really was – Cloud, Sephiroth, or both. Whatever the case, it was clear that in attempting to do something different this time, Vincent had lost his well-earned control on the beast inside of him. 

"Cloud!" 

Cloud looked over to the left to see Barrett, Reno, and Cid running towards him. Yuffie was several feet behind them, crouched down cradling Seifer in one arm and with her other around Quistis' shoulders. The two children were watching the battle with wide-eyes. 

"Vincent's lost control," Cloud said through clenched teeth as the pain in his shoulder worsened. "And Sephiroth's being controlled. Where're Tifa and Aeris?"

"Back at the mansion," Reno said. "Catherine went to go get them." 

"Great," muttered Cloud. 

"It looks like he's going after Sephiroth," Reno commented. They watched as Chaos dove for the silver-haired man. Sephiroth had managed to get back on his feet, but was unprepared for an attack from above. "What do you think the chances of one of them killing the other is?"

"I don't really want to think about that." Cloud staggered to his feet and wished his could lift the Ultima Weapon. Then he took a deep breath and shouted, "VINCENT! KNOCK IT OFF!" 

Chaos seemed to hesitate, a shudder running through his body. Then he let loose with another roar and turned, this time aimed at Cloud and the other three. Barrett, Reno, and Cid brandished their weapons –

-- and Chaos flipped head over heels as a silver arrow lodged itself in his shoulder. One of his wings seemed to give out, and he hit the ground hard. Cloud looked over to see Catherine standing several feet away, crossbow aimed carefully.

Sephiroth seized that opportunity to reclaim his Masamune, which had been knocked out of his hand during Chaos' assault. Cid knelt next to Cloud and quickly cast, "_Cure 3!" Then Cloud grabbed the Ultima Weapon and met Sephiroth's charge just before the Masamune sliced through his neck. "Cutting it a little close, Cid!" Cloud shouted._

"Excuse me for tryin'!" snapped the pilot. 

As Cloud and Sephiroth lunged and blocked with their swords, Cloud once again began to get the feeling that he was on the losing end of this battle. Sephiroth was faster, more agile, and had the added advantage of a lighter weapon. And the Cure 3 had only succeeded in masking Cloud's pain, but the wound was still there and still giving him trouble. 

_Just a little longer, he thought as he felt his Limit coming closer. __Just a bit more, and I'll have him. _

And then the unthinkable happened. 

Seifer…learned how to talk. 

"_Daddy! " _

Sephiroth froze at the unexpected voice, his attention snapping over to Yuffie and the two children. Quistis was staring at him with wide eyes, as if she was completely shocked by the idea of her beloved Sephiroth fighting with her equally beloved Cloud. And Seifer was trying to struggle out of Yuffie's arms, his own arms reaching towards his father. 

Sephiroth seemed to be struggling with himself, even more so than when Cloud had brought up Zack. Faintly Cloud could hear him whispering the words 'kill' and 'no'. _He's fighting against the Sorceress' orders, Cloud realized. __He doesn't want to kill his son!_

"Sephiroth!" 

Aeris' voice, strong and clear, seemed to be the breaking point. Sephiroth spun around and raised the Masamune, all of his attention on the young Cetra. Cloud saw the dangerous glint in his eyes, the one indicating that the Sorceress had regained control. "Aeris, get back!" he ordered. "It's too dangerous!" 

Aeris ignored him and started walking towards Sephiroth. "Sephiroth," she whispered gently, "it's all right. It's just me. Fight her, Sephiroth. Don't let her do to you what she did to the Promised Land. Fight her control. You can't let her win. You can't let her have our children. Quisty and Seifer need you, Sephiroth. I need you." 

The Masamune lowered slightly. Cloud took a couple of steps back, sensing that Aeris knew what she was doing. He felt a pressure on his hand, and glanced over to see Tifa next to him, staring at the scene unfolding in front of them.

"Put down your sword, Sephiroth," Aeris continued, her voice soft and soothing. "Come back to me, my love. You fought her up to this point, didn't you? I know you did. You were the one who helped Nanaki and I at Cosmo Canyon, weren't you? Please, Sephiroth, my angel, please come back." She had reached the end of the sword, and now she reached out and put her hand gently on the dull end of the blade, pushing down on it slightly. Sephiroth allowed her to lower it, his eyes fixed on her, as if he were in a trance. 

Everyone held their breath as Aeris stepped right up to Sephiroth, her voice lowered to a whisper so quiet that only he could make out the words. Sephiroth raised the Masamune slightly, and Cloud visibly tensed, tightening his hold on Tifa's hand. 

Then Sephiroth threw down the sword and pulled Aeris against him, crushing his mouth against hers in a passionate kiss. 

"All right!" shouted Cid, whistling loudly. Cloud threw his arms around Tifa and spun her around, while Barrett and Reno gave each other a series of high fives, low fives, and any other kinds of fives they could think of. Yuffie hugged Seifer and Quistis happily, then stood up to lead them towards the rest of the group.

Catherine was the only one _not smiling. As Sephiroth and Aeris pulled apart, she hurried forward and grabbed their arms, pulling them behind her. "Move, move, __move!" she shouted, bringing her crossbow up._

"What --?" Cloud stopped when he saw Chaos on his feet, only a couple of feet away from where Sephiroth and Aeris had been standing. And he looked pissed. "Damn." 

Then, to everyone's surprise, Chaos just shook his head and began to change. Within a span of minutes, Vincent Valentine was standing there, a little shaken, but otherwise in perfect condition. "Sorry about that," he said sheepishly. "It took me awhile to gain control." 

"You're an idiot," Catherine said, rolling her eyes. "You need to be more careful."

Vincent looked defensive. "You were the one who was going on about how I needed to learn how to make Chaos _part of me!" _

"I didn't mean that you should nearly kill your friends in the process!" Catherine snapped back. 

"Well, next time, _tell me that!" was Vincent's reply._

Everyone was looking back and forth between the arguing Turks, almost as if they were spectators at a tennis tournament. "Have you ever heard Vincent show that much emotion?" Tifa asked uncertainly. 

"Catherine kinda has that effect on people," Reno said, shrugging. 

Sephiroth shook his head. "I think I'm going to need some filling in," he muttered. "But, um, thanks for not really trying to kill me." He glanced at Cloud. "And I think I have some explaining to do, right?"

"Right," Cloud said, a little tense. He glanced at Aeris, who looked at him pleadingly, then sighed and nodded slightly. "We should probably get back to the mansion." 

"The mansion," Sephiroth said softly. "I haven't been there in –" He was suddenly cut off by two small forms hurtling themselves at his legs and knocking him to the ground. "Hey, hey, hey! I'm being attacked by munchkins!" 

"Sephy, Sephy, Sephy, Sephy!" Quistis crowed as she climbed on top of her stepfather. Seifer just hugged his father's leg tight, beaming up at him. 

"Hey, kiddo," Sephiroth said, picking her up and picking himself up as well. "No fair. You got bigger since I last saw you." Quistis wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hair. He knelt down and picked up his son with his other arm. "And you – did I just hear you talk awhile ago?"

Seifer clutched Sephiroth's shirt and gave him a huge grin. "Daddy." 

Sephiroth kissed both of their foreheads. "You don't know how scared I was that I'd never see you two again," he whispered softly. 

"Awww, how sweet." 

The unfamiliar voice made them all turn, and they all stared at the sight of the four-legged creature standing there. "Um…Red?" Cid asked uncertainly. 

"Nope," the Guardian replied. "Savannah. Nanaki's somewhere behind me." She turned to look over her shoulder. "Hurry up! They're over here!" 

A minute later, Nanaki came running up, shaking out his mane as he did so. "I see you've managed to get a lot accomplished while I was gone," he said.

"Hey, welcome back!" Yuffie said, grinning. "Who's your friend?"

Nanaki almost seemed to blush slightly. "Um…yeah. Everyone, I'd like to introduce you to Savannah – my wife." 

"Your _WHAT?!" _

Sephiroth chuckled. "I see I'm not the _only one with some explaining to do." _


	31. Failed Attempt

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-One: Failed Attempt**

"We are approaching the set coordinates," Zell reported to the Headmaster. "Keep Ragnarok hovering when we reach it?" 

Cid nodded and patted the young SeeD's shoulder. "Selphie? Take over for Zell. It's time to get ready." 

Selphie nodded and took control of the massive ship while Zell followed Cid out of the cockpit and to the cargo bay. There, Seifer, Quistis, Rinoa, and Savannah were already getting suited in their diving suits. Zell hurried to catch up to them. 

Xu saluted to Cid. "The back-up ships from Esthar that you requested have arrived," she reported. "Two fully-equipped rescue ops and one attack vessel." 

"Good," Cid said, nodding. Then he looked at the other teenagers who were standing in the large room. "Squall, Tera, Irvine – come here." 

The three of them walked over, Tera looking the most uncomfortable but not as much as she had been as she stood next to her brother. "Sir?" Squall asked. 

"I want the three of you prepared for combat," Cid said quietly, so as not to let the others overhear. "There's a strong possibility that we might already be too late – and should Savannah and the others fail, then you three are our best hopes of getting them out safely. Tera and Irvine because of their connection to the Chaos bloodline, and Squall because of you're our strongest warrior." 

"Headmaster, about this Chaos bloodline," Irvine said, hesitantly. "I'm still not sure what that means." 

"You'll find out when the time comes," Cid replied. "Unfortunately, I'm not a Chaos specialist – so I can't really explain it. But will the three of you be prepared to do what's necessary?" 

They nodded. 

"Good." And now Cid walked over to where Savannah and the others were suited up and ready to go. "The Ragnarok is hovering now," he said. "Squall, Irvine, and Tera will remain here in the cargo bay to act as your anchors, while Xu and I will join Edea and the others in the cockpit. Savannah, you're the only one who's been to the City of the Ancients, so it's up to you to get them inside. Zell, you're aware of your purpose?"

"Protect Seifer and Quistis," Zell replied briskly. "And Rinoa, of course." 

"Rinoa, you've probably got the most difficult task," Cid said, "as your powers are still mostly untrained. I apologize for you not being able to have more time to use them."

"I can handle this, Headmaster," Rinoa said softly. 

"And we'll help her," Quistis said immediately. 

"Can I ask a question?"

Everyone looked at Seifer. 

"What are we supposed to be expecting down there?" Seifer had his arms folded across his chest, and his expression clearly showed his hesitance. "And how are we supposed to cope without weapons?" He nodded to where his Hyperion and the other three weapons were leaning against a nearby wall.

"Your weapons wouldn't be permitted," Savannah replied. "Don't worry – if there is trouble, we'll manage. You just have to put your faith in the Cetra." 

"We're doomed," muttered Zell. He winced as Quistis not-so-subtly stepped on his foot. "Can we get going?" 

Cid  turned to Xu. "Open the doors, and tell Selphie to get in as close as she can!" 

The doors to the cargo bay began to open, revealing clear blue water beneath several feet beneath them. Cables attached to the ship were also attached on the other ends to belts wrapped around the team's waists, but that didn't stop them from being slightly nervous. "I don't know about this," Zell murmured to Quistis. "Skydiving out of a spaceship into the ocean? Doesn't sound like my idea of a good time."

Quistis reached over and squeezed his hand quickly. "It has to be done, though," she said. "And don't forget – the rest of us are doing the exact same thing."

Next to them, Squall was helping Rinoa with her cable. "You're sure you'll be okay?" he asked her worriedly as he straightened up. 

Rinoa placed a quick kiss on his mouth. "I'll be fine," she assured him. "I've got Quistis and Zell and Seifer with me."

Squall glanced uncertainly at Seifer, who was talking to Irvine and Tera. "Yeah, well, I'd put more faith in Quistis and Zell if I were you." 

Seifer glanced over at Squall, having heard the statement, and rolled his eyes at Irvine and Tera. "I'm glad _he's not coming," he confided in them. "I don't think I could deal with him on a mission like this." _

"It's mutual animosity, that's all," Irvine said, shrugging. "Once you prove that you're trustworthy, he'll have  no complaints."

"I've been trying to prove myself for fourteen years," muttered Seifer, more to himself than to his friends. 

Tera gave him a hug and kissed him softly, then stepped back. "Keep out of trouble, 'kay?"

A quick salute and a cocky grin assured her that he would do just the opposite. "Ma'am!" 

"Smart ass," Tera said affectionately. 

"You guys have a weird relationship," Irvine complained. 

Savannah turned towards the teenagers. "Time to go. We'll jump at the same time – once you hit the water, cut the cables and start swimming. You should be able to see the City of the Ancients from any angle so long as you're deep enough." 

Good lucks were said quickly, hugs and kisses exchanged, and then the diving team lined up at the door, waiting for Savannah's signal. 

She gave it, and they jumped. 

The Ragnarok had managed to get within fifty feet of the water's surface, the maximum safety depth Selphie could get her without risking the lives of the crew or the team, so the skydiving portion of the mission was over fairly quickly. Zell straightened himself out with natural grace as he approached the water, and the minute he sliced neatly through the surface he reached back and unhooked the cable, allowing himself to move freely in the water. He adjusted his goggles as he turned himself rightside up, checked his oxygen to make sure it was intact, and then looked for his teammates. 

Quistis came swimming up beside him, and pointed to where Seifer, Rinoa, and Savannah had already begun to swim downward, aided by the huge underwater light that Savannah had equipped herself with. Beneath the surface it was much darker than they had anticipated, so Zell was incredibly grateful for that light. He nodded in their direction, and they began swimming to keep up.  

Savannah glanced over her shoulder as the two of them caught up, and motioned for them to stick close. She tucked herself into a somersault and flipped so that she was aimed directly down. The others attempted to copy her, only Zell managing to execute the maneuver perfectly. Although it was getting harder and harder to see Savannah herself, they had no trouble keeping track of her light. Every once in awhile they would stop and take a head count, and then continue. 

And then Savannah led them around a large outcropping of coral, and there it was. 

Glowing faintly in the ocean lay the City of the Ancients. It seemed to be encased in a sort of bone and crystal dome, to keep water from getting inside of it. The five of them stopped and stared at the beautiful structure, and Quistis and Seifer both actually felt tears spring up in their eyes. A soft hum seemed to be coming from it, and the two Cetra knew at once that it was the song of the Planet, calling out to her remaining children. 

Savannah led them towards a point near the bottom of the dome, which now that they were right next to it was massive, and pressed her hand up against it. She motioned for Zell, Quistis, Seifer, and Rinoa to do the same. The moment they did, the glass of the dome seemed to liquefy, and they passed through it with no problem. It solidified behind them. 

Immediately they removed their diving helmets, thankful to be able to breathe without them on. "Leave the diving suits here," Savannah advised them. "I think you'll be more comfortable in your normal clothes." She was already removing hers to revert to the gypsy-style dress she wore underneath. 

Quistis, Rinoa, and Zell were all thankful to get out of the diving suits, and Seifer was just relieved that the City seemed to heat itself fairly well as he'd had to leave his trenchcoat behind and was only wearing his vest and pants. "Now where to?" he asked, looking at Savannah. "You're the only one who's been here before." 

"Now we wait," Savannah replied. 

"For what?" Rinoa asked. 

"Our guide."

They all looked at her strangely, not quite sure what she meant by that. "You – you don't mean that there are actually people living down here, do you?" Zell asked tentatively. _That's be too weird, even for me._

"Not really _living," Savannah told her son. "Ah. Here we go."_

They all looked in the direction of the main temple, a strange conch shell structure that rose up before them, and Seifer suddenly felt chilled as a floating light approached them. The light stopped a few feet away and began to change. 

When the light dimmed, a young man with spiked blond hair stood in front of them. "Savannah," he said, his blue eyes bright, "we were wondering when you'd show up." 

Savannah had tears in her eyes as she bowed slightly to the young man, forehead touching raised forearm in the typical Guardian greeting. "I hope we aren't too late," she told him. She motioned to the four beside her. "I bring with me Quistis Gainsborough, Zellphirus of the Cosmo Clan, Seifer Almasy, and Rinoa Strife." To the teens, she said, "I would like to introduce the spirit of the AVALANCHE leader, Cloud Strife."  

Quistis and Rinoa both gasped. Zell and Seifer were a little less vocal about their surprise, but their wide eyes were enough proof of what they were feeling. 

Cloud looked at the two girls, and almost seemed to be trembling a bit. "You two," he murmured softly. Then he reached up and swiped at his eyes. "Sorry." 

"It's – all right," Quistis whispered, a smile creeping onto her face. "But – how?"

Savannah looked at Cloud. "They know most of the story," she said, "up to the attack on Ragnarok. But I'd like to know this bit as well." 

"Of course," Cloud said, nodding. "When we died on the Ragnarok, our spirits had nowhere to go. We were too far from the Lifestream to return to it because of the apparent time shift. So we were sent here, to the City of the Ancients, instead. Most of us are trapped here, but a couple of us have been able to leave the City so long as there's a suitable power source nearby. Aeris and Sephiroth have been making quite a few trips." 

Quistis and Seifer looked at each other. "We've seen them," Seifer said. 

"So – you're real?" Zell couldn't help asking. "What about the other members of AVALANCHE? They're here, too?"

Cloud sighed. "They were." 

"Were?" Savannah asked sharply. "What's wrong, Cloud?"

"It's the disruption with Linra," Cloud said. "It's caused the others' spirits to vanish from the City. I'm the only one left, and I don't dare go down to the Crystal City in fear of disappearing myself." He looked crestfallen. "I don't know what happened to them, but I'm glad you're here. Maybe once Linra is stabilized, they'll come back – and you kids can meet the rest of your parents." 

"Is this Crystal City place where Linra is being kept?" Rinoa asked. 

"Yes," Savannah replied. She again turned to Cloud. "What's the condition of the barrier like?"

"It needs repairing badly," Cloud told her. "I hope you've got a Sorceress handy."

Zell slipped an arm around Rinoa's shoulders and squeezed them companionably. "One of the best," he said. 

"You won't be coming with us?" Quistis asked him, disappointed. 

"I'll accompany you to the Crystal City, but after that, I can't risk it," Cloud said apologetically. He motioned down the main path. "It's this way." 

The group fell into a quiet straight line, Savannah in back, Cloud leading the way, the others looking around at the City as they walked through it. "You know," Zell said after a few minutes, "I thought I read somewhere that the City of the Ancients was destroyed." 

"It was, when Linra attacked the Promised Land," Cloud replied. "But it was restored using Hyne's power, as a way to trap her sister. You do know who Hyne is, right?"

"The first Sorceress," Rinoa said,  nodding. Then she corrected herself. "Well, the first _good Sorceress. Her line is where my powers come from." _

"So – how long have you been a Sorceress?" Cloud asked, glancing over his shoulder at her. _She looks so much like her mother…_

"A little over a year," Rinoa replied. "I got them during the Ultimecia Incident."

"What's that?" Seeing the incredulous looks on everyone's faces, Cloud held up his hands in defense. "Hey, I don't get out much." 

Quistis bit her lip. "Ultimeicia was a Sorceress from the future," she said, a little nervous as she glanced shyly at her real father. "She possessed a Sorceress from this time, Edea, in an attempt to obtain a friend of ours, Ellone. She wanted to use Ellone to activate Time Compression. The orphanage gang got involved in it, and in the course of battling Ultimeica through Edea, Rinoa ended up receiving Edea's Sorceress powers." 

"Fortunately, we were able to defeat Ultimeicia in the end, and everything went back to normal," Zell said, grinning. 

Cloud frowned and looked at Savannah. "Well?"

Savannah sighed. "Ultimeicia was probably attempting to release Linra then, but she failed," she said. "And now we have to make sure that Linra stays sealed again for a long time." She pointed to a large structure in front of them. "There is it. The entrance to the Crystal City." 

"I'll wait here for you," Cloud said, stopping at the entranceway to the large conch shell. 

Quistis and Rinoa seemed to hesitate, both of them unsure of what to say, or whether they should say anything at all. Cloud smiled at them sadly. "We can talk later," he said. "Go. You've got a Sorceress to seal." 

"Thank you, Cloud," Savannah said, nodding. "Let's go, girls." Seifer and Zell had already gone inside. With one last glance at Cloud, Quistis and Rinoa followed Savannah through the entrance. 

A huge crystal spiral staircase wound from the center of the room, down further than their eyes could see. "The Crystal City?" Quistis asked questionably. 

"That's right," Savannah replied. "The heart of the City of the Ancients. It was destroyed during Linra's attack on the Promised Land, but the combined powers of Aeris, Sephiroth, and Hyne were able to restore it and transform it into something of a prison for Linra." She began her descent down the staircase. "Let's go." 

Seifer started down after her, but stopped after a couple of steps. "Seifer?" Quistis asked. "What's –" Then she stopped, too.

"What's up?" Zell asked.

"There's something down there," Seifer said shakily. "I don't know what it is, but I'll tell you – if it scares _me have to death, it __can't be good." _

"It's Linra's miasma," Savannah said softly. "The aura of power that she gives off, even when imprisoned. Come. We don't have much time."

Together, they began their descent into the Crystal City. 

*****

"How long has it been?" 

"An hour," Irvine replied. "Squall, would you _please stop pacing?! You're makin' __me dizzy just looking at you!" _

"I'm not pacing," Squall snapped as he continued to pace. 

Irvine sweatdropped. "Squall. Stop. Look at where you were. Now look at where you are."

Squall did so and blinked in confusion. "How'd I get all the way over here?"

Tera groaned. "Not funny," she muttered. She knelt down at the edge of the cargo bay, where she could see the retraction cords dangling down. "No sign of them. How long does it take to seal a 500 year old Sorceress, anyway? Especially one who's already been sealed." 

"Don't ask me," Irvine said, shrugging. 

There was the sound of static, and then Cid's voice could be heard over the intercom. "_How are things going?" _

"Slowly," Squall replied. "No sign of them, sir." 

"_These things take time," Cid assured them. "__They have to make sure that everything is secure before they fix the seal. But they're doing fine." _

"Tell them to take their time," Irvine replied. "We're not going anywhere." 

"_Will do." Cid turned off the com and straightened up, then looked over to where his wife, Laguna, Xu, and Ellone were standing. "I just hope everything really __is going okay. I'm nervous about the fact that we can't raise them on the radio." _

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions," Edea replied. "I'm sure they're fine. We shouldn't expect to be able to communicate with them through all of that, anyway." 

"Still," Laguna murmured, "I don't know if it's a good idea to hide that fact from Squall." Ellone nodded in agreement.

Cid sighed. "The way they are now, if there was the slightest hint that there was trouble, they'd jump into the water after them." 

Suddenly Xu, who had been looking out the window, stepped back with a cry. "Sir!" 

"What is it?" Cid immediately asked.

"Look!" She pointed out of the viewing window. 

Heading towards them was a huge dark cloud, pulsating with energy. A chill went down Cid's spine just looking at it. "What is that thing made of?" he demanded. 

"_Headmaster!" Selphie's voice came over the line from the cockpit. "__Orders?"_

"Cid?" Laguna looked at him. 

Cid gritted his teeth. "We could probably outrun it, but I don't want to leave Savannah and the others down there with no pick up." His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Selphie!" 

"_Yeah?" _

"Can you turn Ragnarok so that the cargo is facing the swarm?"

"_Sure."_

"Do it." Then he connected again with the cargo hold. "Irvine, Tera, Squall."

The three of them looked up, immediately feeling the tension on Cid's voice. "Sir?" Squall asked.

"_Prepare for battle. You'll see your target once Ragnarok finishes turning. Use GFs." _

"What's he talking about?" Tera asked. "I don't see any – whoa!" She grabbed one of the cable holders to keep from tumbling out of the ship it suddenly began turning. "Irvine, your girlfriend needs flying lessons!" 

"Holy shit!" Irvine shouted as he caught sight of what Cid had been talking about. "It's a monster swarm!" 

"Not good," muttered Squall, unsheathing Lionheart. "What's equipped?"

"I've got Diablos and Pandemona," replied Irvine. "You?"

"Quezacotl and Doomtrain," Squall responded. He looked at Tera. "We didn't equip you with a GF, did we?"

"I can handle it," Tera said tensely. 

"_Guys!" Selphie suddenly shouted. "__Hang tight! I'm coming down."_

"She's got Shiva and Leviathan," Irvine said. "That'll help."

"She better be fast," Tera said, "because they're attacking!" 

*****

An explosion rocked the City of the Ancients, and Zell nearly toppled over the edge of the staircase. "Damn it!" he shouted. "Who builds stairs with no railings _anyway?!" _

"What was that?" Rinoa asked, looking up towards the top. "It sounded like it was coming from above us." 

"I'd say Linra's figured out what we're doing," Savannah said grimly. "And she's trying to stop us." j

"Can she _do that?" Quistis exclaimed. _

"She was the one who summoned that damn ghoul that nearly had Irvine and me for lunch," Seifer replied. "I think she can." 

Another explosion rocked the City, and the five of them again barely managed to keep their balance. "Keep moving," Savannah ordered. "There's nothing we can do about what's going on above ground – we have to focus on sealing Linra again! Let's go!" 

Seifer staggered to his feet and grabbed Rinoa by the arm, hauling her up and supporting her as they hurried down the stairs as fast as they could behind Savannah. Zell and Quistis brought up the rear, Zell making sure that no one was about to tumble over the side during the explosions.

"I hope Squall's all right," Rinoa whispered as the Crystal City came into sight. 

Seifer squeezed her arm. "He'll be fine," he said gruffly. "Ready?"

"Yeah." 

They reached the bottom of the stairs, hit the top of the castle-like building, and ran after Savannah to the other side that overlooked the center of the Crystal City. 

"Hyne," breathed Zell in awe. 

A huge pulsating mass of dark energy was swirling around over the lake, lightning bolts zigzagging their way around it, flashes of light giving it an eerie outward appearance. Despite that, they could still see the floating crystal inside the mass, and in it, the still form of a young woman dressed much like Ultimeicia, Adel, and Edea had dressed. 

Dressed like a Sorceress.

"That's Linra," Savannah said, her voice echoing slightly, distorted by the power. "And that energy is her power, but only a shadow of it. The rest is still sealed with her. We need to seal the rest of that power in, and make sure that it won't leak out again." 

"Wouldn't it just be easier to destroy her?" Rinoa couldn't help asking.

"Do you think we could?"

She looked at the energy mass, and slowly shook her head. "N-no." 

Quistis turned to Savannah. "What do we do?" 

The Guardian queen took a deep, steadying breath. "Quistis and Seifer will need to call upon the Lifestream to encase the escaped energy in another crystal seal. Then Rinoa will cloak it with her power and wrap it, containing it." 

"But we've never done that," Seifer protested. "We didn't even know we were part Cetra until _yesterday!" _

"You're a full-Cetran, Seifer," Savannah replied, "and Quistis is half. The Crystal City will give you the boost you need. All you have to do is cal it, and the Lifestream will come. You just have to believe." 

Rinoa, Quistis, and Seifer looked at each other uncertainly. "Well," Quistis said slowly, "here goes nothing." She clasped her hands in front of her and closed her eyes, trying to what Savannah had told her and focus all of her will on summoning the Lifestream. Dimly, she could sense Seifer beginning to do the same on the other side of Rinoa. 

There was a slight pull inside of her, similar to the feeling one would get when they had an upset stomach, yet not as painful. A warmth seemed to wrap around her, the faint sound of crackling energy building up like static electricity. _I can do this, she told herself. __I will do this! I can handle this – this is easy. Just like calling my Blue Magic. _

Suddenly Seifer let out a strangled cry, and Quistis felt her concentration break. She opened her eyes to see her half-brother fall to his knees, his hands pressed against his head. "Seifer!" she shouted. 

"Don't lose your focus!" Savannah cried. "You have to summon the Lifestream!" 

But Quistis had forgotten all about the Lifestream at the sight of seeing Seifer in pain, and Rinoa had abandoned all preparation for the sealing as well. The two of them knelt next to Seifer in concern. "Seifer, what's wrong?" Rinoa asked.

He gritted his teeth. "Someone in…my head," he whispered. "Calling…me." 

"What?" 

Zell felt the disturbance before actually seeing it. "Oh, dear Lord," he whispered, turning to stare at the energy cloud. "Everybody, look!" He pointed, and they turned to look.

A huge crack had appeared down the center of the crystal contained Linra. But  more frightening was not the crack itself, but the fact that the Sorceress' eyes were opened, and they were fixed on them. 

"Linra," Savannah whispered, sounding absolutely terrified. 

An evil smile curled on the Sorceress' face as her eyes lit up in recognition of the Guardian. 

And then the crystal completely shattered, and there was nothing. 

*****

Irvine let out a curse as Diablos was knocked out, calling the GF back to him and leaving him defenseless. "That was my last move!" he shouted to Squall. "There're just too many of them!" 

"K'so!" snarled Tera as her magic attacks ceased having an effect. "They adapt to the magic. I'm out." 

Squall clenched his jaw, determined not to give up. And then he felt it, the rush of power he'd been waiting for. _Yes. A bright light shot up from the ground, and he prepared himself. "RENZOKU --!" The ship suddenly began to shake, throwing the three of them off balance and interrupting Squall's Limit Break. They slid backwards into the cargo hold as the Ragnarok's nose titled dangerously downward. _

"Selphie!" shouted Irvine angrily. "Keep her steady!" 

"_It's not me!" Selphie protested from the cockpit. "__Look! The monsters are leaving!" _

Ragnarok straightened out suddenly, and they could see that she was right – the monsters were beginning to change direction. 

"Why?" Squall wondered in confusion.

"Oh, no," Tera whispered. She got to her feet and sprinted to the open door, skidding to a stop at the edge of it. "Guys, look at this!" 

Irvine and Squall joined her, and their eyes widened. "This can't be good," whispered Irvine.

The water was glowing below them, in the spot where the City of the Ancients were projected to be. The water began to churn and boil, as if an incredible heat source was building beneath it. The monsters were flying upward, congregating directly over the spot into something of a net, as if they were waiting for something to emerge. 

And it did, a second later, a missile of dark energy at an unbelievable speed. It shot straight up to the horde, which enveloped it before anyone could identify what it was. Then the monsters disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared, taking whatever it was with them. 

Squall, Irvine, and Tera looked at each other in shock. A minute later, Selphie came running into the cargo hold. "I put Ragnarok on autopilot to straighten it out," she said. "What _was that?" _

"I have no idea," Squall said. He looked back at where the glow had been…and saw that it was still there. "What now?" 

"Headmaster!" Irvine shouted. "Can you hear me?" 

"_Yes." _

"What's goin' on? What do Savannah and the others say about this?" 

There was a hesitation, and then the muffled sounds of someone talking and trying not to be heard. Then Cid spoke again. "_We, ah, lost contact with them shortly after they went down there. We don't know what's going on." _

Squall, Irvine, and Selphie were quiet. And then…

"WHAT?!" 

"Look!" Tera suddenly exclaimed, interrupting them before they could start yelling at Cid. "Something's happening!" 

They looked. 

The light had suddenly turned dark red, as red as molten lava beneath the ocean's surface. And then they felt the Ragnarok begin to move away, the cargo hold doors closing on their own accord. The four of them stumbled back to keep from getting sliced, but not before catching a glimpse of the other airships moving away as well. 

When the explosion occurred, they were far enough away that all they felt as a slight tremor go through the ship, and all they heard was the sound of water pelting against the armored sides. 

And then there was silence.  


	32. Hyne

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Two: Hyne**

"AAAACHOOOO!" 

Yuffie wiped her arm with her other sleeve and glared Reno. "Thank you_ so much," she said sarcastically._

Reno sniffled and blew his nose on his handkerchief. "I'm cold, tired, and wet," he complained. "And the mustiness of this basement isn't helping matters much."

"Someone want ta explain why we can't jus' be upstairs?" Barrett asked. 

"Because the books we need are _downstairs," Catherine said irritably. _

"But there's more room _upstairs," Barrett countered. He motioned to the room with his gunarm. "We're packed in here like sardines!" _

"Hey, watch where you move that thing," Sephiroth said as he just barely managed to not get smacked in the head. "Some of us are very tall." 

"Situations like this make me glad I'm not human," muttered Red. 

"I hear you," agreed Savannah.

Cloud was perched on the edge of the table in the center of the room, and looked like he was getting a headache. "Here's an idea," he grumbled. "All you complainers can go stand out in the rain where there's more room, while those of us who actually _want to get to the bottom of this work here." He glared at them all. "Well? What do you say?"_

"We'll be good," they all said weakly. 

Cloud glanced at Tifa, who just shook her head in amusement. "Okay, is everyone done complaining?" he asked. They nodded. "Good. So let's start going over what we know, and figure out where to go from there." 

"Ooo, Strife's going into his Head of Security mode," Reno whispered to Yuffie, who giggled quietly. They both winced when Cloud fixed his glare on them. When he was sure that they were going to be silent, he turned to Red and Sephiroth. "You two start."

"Sir," Sephiroth said mockingly, snapping a quick salute. Aeris put her hand on his arm and shook her head at him. He looked sheepish and muttered a quick apology. Cloud thought he heard Cid whisper the word 'whipped' to Vincent, but he kept his attention focused on Sephiroth. 

Sephiroth reiterated everything that had happened to him since he'd been captured by Linra, from meeting the deranged Sorceress to saving Aeris and Red, all the way up to just before she put her spell on him. "The last thing I remember is a dream I had," he said truthfully, "although it didn't really feel like a dream at the time." 

"What was it?" Catherine asked with interest. "I have a bit of experience in dream-interpreting." 

"There was a boy…about your age, Catherine. Give or take a few years," Sephiroth said. "He just appeared outside of my cage, looking very confused. I remember telling him that he shouldn't be there, that he should leave, but he just looked at me and said he didn't know if he could. And then I heard Linra coming, so I told him to get out, and this time he started to vanish. But before he disappeared, he asked me what my name was. I told him, and then he yelled his name to me. Then he was gone, and that's the last thing I remember. I must've woken up then."

Catherine frowned. "That doesn't sound like a dream," she said. "Are you sure it was? Because usually people don't remember their dreams that clearly." 

"It had to have been a dream," Sephiroth replied. "How else could it have happened?" 

"Do you remember the name the boy told you?" Cloud asked. 

Sephiroth nodded. "That's why I'm so sure it must've been a dream." He looked at Seifer. "He said his name was Seifer Almasy." 

Immediately everyone else looked at the baby Aeris was holding. Seifer stared right back, his green eyes bright and curious. Cid let out a low whistle. "Ooookay. Am I the only one who felt the proverbial chill down the spine just now?" 

Catherine looked thoughtful. "Just out of curiosity – what did he look like? The older Seifer."

"About my height, longish blonde hair with a few green streaks in it, a scar running from above one eye to below the other, and bright green eyes," Sephiroth said, having absolutely no trouble recalling the boy's features. "He was wearing a long gray trenchcoat, black pants, and a dark blue and white shirt. He was also carrying a weapon that looked like a cross between a sword and a rifle." 

"For someone who's so certain it was a dream, he sure remembers a lot," muttered Barrett. 

"Catherine?" Vincent asked, looking at her curiously. "Does this mean anything to you?"

She bit her lip. "Well…it's just that my people have always believed that dreams are just a way to communicate across time. There're even some who believe that those with great power can compress time through dreams. They call it Time Compression."

"So you're saying that maybe the kid in Sephiroth's dream really _was Seifer, only from eighteen years in the future?" Reno looked skeptic. "I don't know, Kitty. Sounds pretty far-fetched to me." _

"And yet there may be a grain of truth to it," Aeris mused softly.

"Aeris?" Cloud looked at her curiously. 

"Look at what we know." The young Cetra bit her lip thoughtfully as she spoke. "We know that Time can have different impacts on different realms – for instance, there was enough of a delay in time between this realm and the Promised Land so that the children and I were safely away from the City of the Ancients when it was destroyed. If there hadn't been, the destruction would've been instantaneous and the three of us would be dead. Also, the Lifestream has a separate Time of its own. Tifa and Cloud know that, right?" 

Tifa nodded. "When Cloud and I were pulled into the Lifestream last year, it felt like hours had gone by before we actually left. But when we woke up, it seemed like only ten or twenty minutes had actually passed."

"And don't forget, there are already ways to manipulate Time, through Materia," Yuffie spoke up. "The Time Materia can speed up, slow down, or even stop time for a specific person. Isn't that a little like this Time Compression thing Catherine mentioned?"

"Except that Time Compression supposedly pulls all Time together simultaneously," Savannah clarified. "So we could be talking right here, amongst ourselves, and at the same time another group of people from five hundred years in the future could be standing here having a completely separate conversation, and we would be able to see and hear each other clearly."

"Sounds like a headache," Cid said. "You know about this stuff?"

"My Clan is very knowledgeable in these sorts of things," Savannah replied. "The Chaos Clan wasn't the first to possess knowledge of Time Compression. The Cetra had it all figured out, ages ago. But they granted the secrets to my Clan, to keep them away from those less noble."

"Why?" Cloud asked curiously. "And did you know this, Red?"

Nanaki shook his head. "This is the first I've heard of it."

"The knowledge was sealed away because it was so dangerous," Savannah explained. "Having separate times all acting simultaneously could end up destroying the world." Seeing the skeptic looks, she went on. "Think of it this way. Think of every evil person who ever existed in history. _Every one. Now imagine them all living in the same time, all working to take over the world or destroy it or whatever they feel like doing. That's what Time Compression could do. It could make that possible." _

Sephiroth, who himself had _been one of those 'evil people' Savannah had mentioned, felt sick at the idea. "So could it happen? Could someone have used Time Compression to bring an older version of Seifer here?"_

"I don't think so," Savannah said, shaking her head. "Or else he'd still be here. And so would all of his friends, and family, and strangers he's never met but still live while he does. But you said he left on his own?"

Sephiroth nodded. "I'm not sure he knew what he was doing."

"Are we even sure this kid was real?" Cid cut in. 

"We're working with that assumption," Cloud replied tersely. "There have been enough odd occurrences lately that I'm not going to rule anything out." 

"Savannah," Nanaki said suddenly, his voice low and tense. "You said your Clan is the only one with knowledge of this? Do you remember the conversation we overheard before we left?"

The other Guardian looked at him, and nodded slightly.

*****

"I can't believe we're just going to sneak out of here and not come back," Savannah whispered as she and her new mate crept along the hallway of the Desert Clan's main dwelling. "If my father finds out, he'll skin me alive. If he had known you were planning this, he never would've gone ahead with the wedding." 

"Actually, he would've," Nanaki whispered back. "Guardian betrothals are as sacred as the law. But he could've locked me up for the rest of my life after the wedding. I thought you wanted to leave here, anyway." 

"I do, I do," she replied. "I can't stand the anti-human attitude of my kin. It's as if they've forgotten that the Cetra, as powerful as they were, were still only humans themselves." 

"I think the exit is this way." Nanaki padded around a corner, then stopped dead in his tracks. "Maybe not."

"What is it?" Savannah pushed up beside him and peeked into the room. 

"Isn't that your father?" 

Cullyn was standing in the middle of a dark room, facing away from the door that Nanaki and Savannah were peering through. There was a mirror in front of him, and in the mirror, a dark form shrouded in shadow. From the basic shape it looked human, wearing a long dress, a long cloak, and a strange headpiece on her head. They could make out no other features, except for the voice. 

"_So, Cullyn of the Great Desert Clan, do we have a deal?"_

Cullyn bowed his head. "Yes, My Lady. My Clan will supply you with the necessary information you need to complete your plan." 

"_And I will make sure that no harm comes to you or any of your kind during the upcoming battle." _

"And in return the Guardians pledge their allegiance to you," Cullyn added. 

"_Agreed." _

Savannah bit Nanaki's mane and pulled it a bit. They moved away from the door. "What was that?" Nanaki asked.

"Father has been talking about forming an alliance to protect our Clan from humans for quite some time now," Savannah explained. "That must have been his partner in the alliance. Let's get out of here, Nanaki. I didn't like the looks of her." 

*****

"What did the headpiece look like?" Sephiroth asked sharply, the minute the two Guardians had finished speaking.

Nanaki and Savannah glanced at each other. "Big," Nanaki said. "We didn't see any color, but I remember there being three parts to it – like a jester's hat or a three-point star. And there were ribbons of some sort hanging off of each point. That was all we could make out."

Sephiroth cursed. He cursed loudly, and he cursed for several minutes. 

"Hey, how come I can't do that around the kids, and he can?" Cid grumbled. 

"What is it?" Aeris asked her husband worriedly.

"Linra," Sephiroth said, spitting out the name like it was a bad taste in his mouth. "That's the sort of headpiece she wears. The Clanleader's made a pact with the Sorceress." 

Cloud paled. "And the information your father agreed to give her, Savannah –"

"Was probably about Time Compression," she gasped. 

"Linra must have convinced him to join her side, in exchange for destroying the humans," Vincent concluded. "But what could she gain by using Time Compression?"

Everyone fell silent, thinking hard about Vincent's question. What was the one thing Linra could hope to gain by using Time Compression?

"It would only compress Time in this world," Catherine murmured. 

"Maybe…maybe she wants to unite all the Sorceresses from here to the future?" Yuffie suggested hesitantly. "No. How would she know if there were any others?"

"She's not interested in any Sorceresses from the future," Tifa suddenly exclaimed. "It's the Sorceresses of the past she wants. She wants to try and bring Jenova back." 

Cloud and Sephiroth looked at each other, and nodded grimly.

And then the library disappeared, and they were standing in a realm of whiteness. 

"What the --!" Cloud's voice cut off as he realized it was echoing. 

"Welcome," a soft female voice said. "I've been waiting for you, AVALANCHE." 

From within the middle of their semi-circle, the image of a young woman appeared. She smiled at them. 

"Welcome," she repeated. "My name…is Sorceress Hyne." 


	33. Cosmo Canyon

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Cosmo Canyon**

Blue eyes opened to a bright stream of sunlight that streaked in through an open window. A strange, earthy smell wafted in with the breeze, and leather brushed up against cool skin as the person lying on the bed rolled over to try and go back to sleep. 

Wait. 

Bed? 

Breeze? 

Leather?

Zell shot upright into a sitting position and looked around the room he was in frantically. It was a huge suite of rooms, to be exact, and ones that looked like they'd never been lived in. The bed was made out of an odd material that felt like a cross between cotton and straw – not a bad combination, actually, it was somewhat comfortable --, and when he looked down at himself, he was surprised to see that his entire wardrobe had changed. Instead of his usual ensemble of muscle shirt and baggy shorts, he was wearing a leather-skin vest (no shirt), and a pair of tight pants made from the same material. Brigga, he thought the style was referred to as. A style that had gone out in medieval times. 

He noticed his hands were bare, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his Ergheiz gloves lying on a table in the middle of the adjoining room. Uncertainly, he got off the bed and walked through the doorway.

Sure enough, he was in a suite. There were three separate rooms, two divided by a door made only of strings of stones, crystals, and feathers, and one by a solid wood door – one a bedroom, the other a sitting room, and when he checked, the last a bathroom. It was a strange mix of technology and medieval, and a thought began to rise when he thought of that. 

There was a knock on the last door, another solid one, and he spun around as it opened. 

A young girl with long black hair and bright blue eyes stepped hesitantly into the room, holding a tray of food. "Oh!" she gasped, her eyes widened at the sight of Zell. "Z-zellphirus-sama! I-I didn't know you were awake!" 

_Zellphirus…? He focused on the girl's face, and sure enough, could make out the faint mark of the Guardian, just barely there, a testament to her age. "Am I…with the Guardians?" he asked in confusion._

The girl nodded eagerly, then looked slightly embarrassed and cast her eyes downward. "Sumimasen, heika," she said. "I told myself that I wouldn't act like a child…but I'm just very excited to meet you!" 

"Heika?" Zell repeated. He shook his head. "Sama? What's with the titles? And what's going on here? The last thing I remember, I was stuck in a dome under the ocean. Where are my friends? I demand an answer!" 

Her eyes widened, and she took a startled step back. "I-I've said something to upset you, haven't I? Oh, please forgive me, Kotaishi! I didn't mean any disrespect!" 

Zell's head was beginning to hurt with confusion, partly because he still couldn't figure out why this girl was referring to him like he was some sort of lord, and partly because he just wanted to know what the hell was going on, but before he could say anything more she had placed the tray on the table next to his gloves, and had fled from the room, closing the door firmly behind her. 

Zell stared after her, blinking. "I need aspirin," he muttered as he sat down on what appeared to be a couch (the covering was an odd moss-like fabric, and it seemed to be stuffed with the same material as the bed), and looked at the tray of food. _I'm not touching that until I know what's going on, he thought firmly._

But…whatever it was, it did look good…

_Grrrrrroooowwwwwrrrrrr._

With his stomach giving its opinion, Zell sighed and pulled the tray closer to him, sampling a bit of the meat and vegetables on it. 

By the time he heard footsteps outside the door, the tray was cleaned, but he was nowhere closer to figuring anything out. He waited for the knock, but instead the door just opened, and Savannah stepped inside. 

"Oh," he said, frowning slightly. "It's you."

Savannah sighed. "Zellphirus, please," she said. 

"Zell," he replied shortly. "My name is Zell." He folded his arms over his chest. "And what the hell is going on here? Where am I? Where are my friends? And more to the point…where are my clothes?!" 

"They're being washed and mended," Savannah replied. "As for where your friends are – Rinoa, Quistis, and Seifer are all sleeping off their wounds. They don't heal as fast as we do, both mentally and physically. And where you are – that would be Cosmo Canyon, on the Centra Continent." 

He looked at her blankly. "Cosmo Canyon was destroyed 500 years ago. During Linra's campaign, if I'm not mistaken." 

"And she was rebuilt by the Guardians afterward," Savannah answered. She walked towards him and stood directly in front of him, looking him straight in the eye. "I knew of the plans, although construction didn't begin until after Nanaki and I boarded Ragnarok, but when the Highwind crashed, I decided to come and see what I could find. Imagine my surprise when I discovered a fully established Canyon, and that those inhabiting it were all that was left of our race." 

"So this is where you went after you abandoned me." Zell rolled his eyes. "You're saying that you went off without even knowing if this place still existed – and didn't bother coming back for me."

"I did come back," Savannah snapped, "but you had already been adopted by the Dinchts. I went to Balamb, intent on taking you back – until I saw how happy you made your adopted parents. Do you remember seeing me, Zellphirus? I watched you for weeks, to make sure that you were really okay. And you would look straight at me, and not know how I was." 

"I never saw you before you showed up with your little rescue party at the train station," growled Zell. "Stop telling me these stories and tell me what's going on – now! I just scared a cub half to death just by asking a few questions!" 

Savannah smiled. "Oh, Lilli? She'll be fine. You just took her by surprise is all, and she wasn't prepared to come face-to-face with a prince on her first real assignment." 

At the sight of his blank expression, she laughed. "What?" 

"Prince?" 

"Yes." 

"What the hell?" 

Savannah put her hand on his shoulder. "Kotashi. Heika. Sama. All are titles of respect. You know that your father is Nanaki, and that he was the leader of this Clan. As his mate, those responsibilities fell to me – until his first-born son could take over. Which means you, Zellphirus, are officially Cosmo Canyon's leader." 

"Whoa, hold on," Zell said, backing up and shaking his head. "Leader? Me? No way. That's something Squall or Quistis could do, and maybe even Seifer if he ever got his act together – but _me? No offense but – are you __crazy?" _

Savannah looked at him with amusement. "I figured you'd need some time to get used to it," she said. "But unfortunately, we don't have the time. Linra is free." 

Those three words sent a chill down Zell's spine unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He could practically feel his heart stop momentarily. "Wait. You mean…but I thought…"

"You thought that since we'd survived, we'd succeeded," Savannah finished. "No. Quistis, Seifer, and Rinoa were not strong enough, and Linra's containment was too far damaged to be repaired. The City of Ancients has been destroyed once more, and the only reason we are alive today is because we have Cloud's spirit to be thankful for. He used the last of his energy to transport us out of there. Unfortunately, this means he has returned to the Lifestream, where he will be unable to assist us until his strength returns." 

"And how long will that be?" He wasn't really sure he wanted to know the answer to that. 

"It could be a few months. Or it could be a few centuries." 

Groaning, Zell sat back on the couch and pressed his hand against his forehead. "I'm very tempted to go back to sleep, in hopes that this is all some nasty nightmare." 

"It's not." 

"I know." 

"You know, up until a couple of years ago I _was just a normal teenager."_

Savannah gave him a sad half-smile. "Zellphirus, you haven't been a normal teenager since the day you were born. Fate has a way of dealing itself cruelly."

"You don't have to tell me." He sighed and stood up, then stretched. "Where are my friends? I think I'm going to go check up on how they're doing." Savannah opened her mouth to speak, and he held up his hand. "I'm not completely disregarding everything you're telling me – but right now, Quistis and the others are more important that my heritage."

"You'll find Quistis in the room next to yours," Savannah answered. "Seifer and Rinoa were placed further down the hallway. I assumed you would want her closest to you."

Zell suddenly became very interested in the patterns cut into the wooden floor.

"Actually, it's a good thing you and she have become so attached," Savannah said offhandedly as she walked towards the door. "You may not be aware of this, but Guardians – especially those of royal lineage – are paired off shortly after they're born. You and Quistis are betrothed." 

The entire Canyon became aware of Zell's initial reaction to this statement.

"_We're WHAT?!" _


	34. Warnings and Revelations

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Four: Warnings and Revelations**

Cloud and Sephiroth both reached for their swords simultaneously, their eyes narrowing at the word 'Sorceress'. Around them, the rest of AVALANCHE tensed. 

Hyne held up her hand and motioned for them all to stay still. "You can relax," she replied. "I mean you no harm."

"Forgive us if we don't believe you," snapped Cid.

"I understand your distrust," Hyne continued, a kind smile on her face. "I would feel the same distrust if I had had the same experiences with my kind as you have. But first I wish you to entertain the idea that not all Sorceresses are like Linra and Jenova. And then I would wish you to listen to my words and find the truth within them." 

Sephiroth relaxed slightly, sensing immediately a difference between this Sorceress and the one who had had him imprisoned. He glanced at Cloud, and saw the same uncertainty on his face that must have mirrored his own. Their eyes met, and Cloud nodded slightly. Both of them removed their hands from the hilts of their swords. 

"I thank you," Hyne said. 

"Where are we?" Tifa asked.

"This is the In-Between," Hyne said, motioning to the whiteness around here. "The one realm not effected by Time. When you leave here, you will find that no Time has passed in your world, nor in any others.

"I have been waiting for you to discover the plans of Linra, so that I could bring you here. Only those with knowledge of the existence of Time Compression can enter the In-Between, because this is where the power itself comes from."

"So Linra really _is_ trying to bring Jenova back!" Yuffie exclaimed.

"Yes," Hyne said, nodding. "When we Sorceresses of our world got wind of her plans, I was sent to try and stop her. I soon realized that she had grown far beyond my own power, and knew that I would need help. I also knew that you had been responsible for the death of Jenova, and decided to watch you until you were ready to face Linra." 

"We can take her," Barrett said with absolute conviction. "We took out Jenova." 

"Yet Linra, armed with the knowledge of Time Compression, is already more powerful than Jenova," Hyne said. 

Sephiroth paled. "More powerful…?"

"How do we defeat her?" Aeris asked softly, holding her children to her. "You must know. Otherwise you wouldn't be here."

Hyne nodded slowly. "I have seen the past, the present, and the future," she said. "The here and the now will only play a small part in the finally destruction of Sorceress Linra, and the end of Time Compression itself. Even as we speak, Time is already being effected." She looked at Sephiroth. "You saw one small fluctuation, with the appearance of your son at the age of eighteen." And then she looked at Vincent. "And you felt another, aboard the Highwind, though not as strong and not as clear." 

Vincent looked confused. "I'm afraid I don't remember." 

"Do not dwell on it," Hyne told him. "Just know that it occurred." She looked at each person in front of her, silently, and nodded slightly at Savannah. "Tell me, Guardian, what do you know of the act of Time Compression itself?"

"N-not much," Savannah said hesitantly, suddenly unsure about being put on the spot. There was something about Hyne – a power – that made her afraid to speak for fear that she would disappoint her. "My father is the one with the real knowledge. But I believe there are certain components which need to be gathered." 

"There are. Three, to be exact. One is a place of power, a center which Time Compression will not effect. The second is an ancient scroll on which the incantations are written – Linra already possesses this. And the third is a child with the power to manipulate Time itself. This child has not been born yet." 

"Then…there's nothing to worry about, right?" Cloud frowned. "If Linra can't get the child, then she can't use Time Compression." 

"Unfortunately, not everything works as smoothly as we wish," Hyne replied. "Time is a complicated matter. As we speak, my sister seeks to draw the child from a later Time, and use her in this to create Time Compression. You _must_ stop her before she succeeds. If you don't, I have no way of helping you – I have been unable to see that far into the future."

"Where is she?" Tifa asked. 

"Linra is in the Promised Land," Hyne said. "To get there, you must be granted permission by all those living with Cetran blood, at the point of power." 

"Meaning…?" Catherine frowned. 

"Meaning Sephiroth and I must give you permission to enter the Promised Land at the ruins of the City of the Ancients." Aeris looked at Hyne. "Am I correct?"

Hyne nodded. "You understand what you must do?"

Answers in various forms of 'yes' came from the assembled group.

"Then go with Hyne's blessing," she said, "and hope for the best. Should Linra succeed, we will all perish." 

As suddenly as they had appeared in the In-Between, AVALANCHE suddenly found itself back in the basement of the Shinra Mansion, with, as the Sorceress had told them, no time having passed. 

They all looked at each other. 

"Now what?" Reno asked.

"Now," Cloud said, "we head for the Promised Land. We have to stop Linra." 

"There's no way we can leave with this storm," Cid said. "The Highwind won't make it." 

"The storm is being controlled by Linra," Sephiroth said with certainty. "As long as she knows she can keep us grounded with it, she'll keep it going. It's a risk we'll have to take."

Cid muttered something under his breath, and Cloud gave him a sharp look that shut him up. "Well, Cid?" Cloud asked. "Can we try?"

Cid looked at him for several minutes, almost challengingly. When Cloud didn't back down, he sighed. "Yeah," he said, "we can try. And we might make it. But no guarantees." He looked at all of them. "I'm going with the ship, but if any of you want to find a different way to get there, I'm not going to force you onto the Highwind."

Yuffie looked green at the prospect of flying in a storm. "Um, well, maybe I could…"

"Whatsa matter?" Reno teased. "The ninja can't handle a little storm? I thought you were supposed to be some big Wutaian master, and you're afraid of a storm?"

Yuffie glared at him. "I'm going," she said, sounding much more confident than she actually felt. 

"Anyone else want to back out?" Cid looked around. No one moved, and he sighed. "Okay, then. Give me an hour to get the airship checked out, and then we'll be on our way." He walked out of the room.

Cloud nodded. "Okay, let's stock up for this," he said. "Reno, call Reeve at HQ and let him know what's going on. Barrett, you and Yuffie search the town for weapons or Materia that we can salvage and use. You know everyone's specialties. Tifa, take Aeris and run the same search for Items – Tents, Potions, Phoenix Downs, anything that might be useful. Red, you and Savannah go with them, keep an eye on the kids. I'm not putting anything past Linra right now. Catherine, do a check of this room and grab what books you think will be useful, Vincent, why don't you help her?" Vincent nodded. "Then Sephiroth, you come with me. We need to talk." 

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at him, but nodded in agreement. "Any questions?" Cloud asked the assembled group.

"No, I think you made it all very clear," Reno said, rolling his eyes slightly. 

"Good," Cloud replied. "Then get going. We only have an hour." 

As everyone moved to their assigned tasks without much grumbling, Sephiroth made his way over to Cloud. "What?"

"Not here," Cloud said. "Outside. We'll talk while we make sure Linra doesn't have anything nasty waiting for us." 

Silently, the two of them left Vincent and Catherine in the basement and made their way out of the mansion, neither of them speaking much as they walked to the perimeter of the town, along the path that led to Mt. Nibel. Cloud walked with purpose, and Sephiroth followed behind, not saying a word as he looked around. Then Cloud stopped, and the two of them stood in the woods, just far enough that they could still see the town and not be overheard. 

Cloud stood there, silently, arms folded over his chest as the rain came down, drops catching in his hair. Sephiroth stood beside him uneasily, feeling as less like the great general he had been than he had ever felt. "…Cloud?"

"If you do anything to jeopardize this, I'll kill you myself."

Sephiroth's green eyes widened, and he turned to stare at Cloud in surprise. There was a hard tone to the other man's voice, and his blue eyes glowed, but not just because of the Mako energy in his body. No, there was a harshness in them that Sephiroth had not been prepared for. This was not the Cloud he had known. That Cloud had been uncertain of his own shadow – this Cloud knew who he was and knew what his purpose was. "What makes you so certain I will?" Sephroth asked defensively.

Cloud stared at him, long and hard. "It's already clear that Linra has some influence over you," he said calmly. "I know what it's like to not know if your actions are your own or if someone else is pulling your strings. I know what it's like to be a puppet." 

Sephiroth winced, but tried to cover it. "So you threaten to kill me?"

"A year ago, if I could've controlled myself when I was being controlled, I would've killed myself to prevent injury to my friends," Cloud replied. "I just want you to know that if you are a danger to my friends and my family, I will kill you." 

Sephiroth looked at him for a moment. "Well," he said finally. "It's nice to see that you have your priorities." 

Blue eyes met green eyes silently, and then Cloud visibly relaxed. "Yeah, well…let's check the area before we have to go on the Highwind." 

"You don't really think Linra would attack us here, now, do you?"

"Nah. We're not her biggest concern." A smirk appeared on Cloud's face. "Yet."

Sephiroth chuckled. "I'll drink to that." 

*****

"Ah-CHOO!" 

"That would be the _tenth_ sneeze in a row. Why don't you try not breathing in the dust?"

"When did you get sarcastic?" Catherine looked at Vincent shrewdly. 

"When I found out an evil sorceress was trying to manipulate time to bring back an even more evil sorceress, and the best thing I could do was pile up old books." Vincent flipped his long black ponytail over his shoulder and adjusted his bandanna, looking at her with crimson eyes. "I learned it all from you, Cat."

She stuck her tongue out at him, and he smiled. He rarely smiled. In fact, the only times he pretty much smiled was when he was around her. It was a complete mystery to him, why he felt so comfortable around her, but he did. "Every time I start forgetting that you're sixteen, you do that, and I remember."

"Hmph." Catherine turned back to her pile and placed another book on top of it. "Is that a polite way of saying I'm too young for you?" she couldn't help muttering under her breath. Forgetting, of course, that Vincent's hearing was better than the average human. Vincent could hear through several feet of rock and dirt. Vincent's hearing was better than the average _anything. _

"Trust me, Catherine – your age is the last thing on my mind."

His voice was suddenly so quiet, so serious, that Catherine immediately turned to look at him. "You weren't supposed to hear that," she said softly.

"You shouldn't speak out loud, then." Vincent was leaning against the overflowing table, arms folded over his chest as he regarded her silently. "Why are you still here, Catherine? Why haven't you gone back to your people?"

"I'm a Turk, Vincent – I follow orders. My orders are to search Nibelheim for clues."

"We're leaving Nibelheim," Vincent replied. "This has nothing to do with you, Catherine. _Go home_. Or if you don't, go back to Neo-Midgar." 

"Reno is going."

"Reno has more of a stake in this than you do. Not as much as the rest of us, but more than you. He was around a year ago." He looked at her calmly. "A year ago, what were you doing?"

Catherine bit her lip. "I was trying to figure out how to stop myself from getting caught up in an arranged marriage." 

He raised an eyebrow.

"It's the way of our people – because of what we are, and the powers we control, as survival we pair off young. If you don't have a partner by a certain age, one is chosen for you." She looked at him steadily. "I was ready to run from the Clan when the engagement was canceled."

"Why?"

_How did this conversation get to my past? Catherine sighed. "The Elders became aware of Lord Chaos' power. I was chosen to be his – your – guide. So instead of marrying, I was being prepared to guide you. If I go back and admit defeat now, the marriage will take place, and I'll be locked into the Clan forever."_

"You don't want that." 

"Of _course_ not!" Catherine exclaimed. "I don't want to go back to my Clan, Vincent…I want to stay here, with the Turks, with Neo-Shinra…" _With you…_

Vincent looked away. "It's not going to be easy."

"No, really, you think?" He looked at her, not flinching at the obvious sarcasm. "Vincent, admit it, you could use my help. I'm the only one who can read these books, and I'm the only one who can help you with Chaos. Why are we even having this conversation?" 

"I just don't want you to regret coming with us."

"Vincent, if I was going to leave, I would've done it a long time ago," Catherine replied. "I'm going. That's that." 

To Catherine's surprise, Vincent actually gave her a small smile. "Good," he said quietly. 

From somewhere outside the mansion, Cid's voice came echoed with the help of a huge speaker. "_Hurry it up, people, this ship's about to take off!_" 

"Here we go," murmured Vincent. 

Linra stood before a huge altar, the stirrings of magic coursing through her. _Just a little longer_, she thought. _Just a little longer, and the connection will be made. _She gazed into her scrying pool in front of her. A blurred image appeared, then grew into more and more focus. 

She smiled as it finished. 

Her own face stared up at her. "So," the other Linra said. "Everything has gone the way I said it would." 

"Yes," Linra said, nodding. "Has your resurrection been successful?"

"Very much so," was the reply. "I am in the process of locating the child we need – she's full-grown now, but still serves our purpose well. You have obtained everything needed on your end?"

"You know that I have," Linra replied. "You'll find what you need where it was left." 

"And our sister?"

"Hyne doesn't suspect at all what the plan is," Linra replied. "She's warned AVALANCHE, of course, but you know how much good that does them. What of the problem alerted in your time?"

"Easily taken care of. The children won't be a problem. They lack understanding. None of them know that history has already written itself in stone." The future Linra smirked. "No problems, then?"

Linra wondered briefly if she should mention the small fluctuations of power that she had been feeling every once in awhile, but decided not to. If they were important, her future self would already know about them. Everything else was going just the way Jenova's writings had said it would, and now that Linra was in contact with the future, nothing could stand in her way. 

So it was, and so it always would be. 


	35. Meeting the Family

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Five: Meeting the Family**

The first thing Squall Leonheart thought when he woke up was, _where in the world am I?_

The second thing he thought was, _my head fucking hurts!_

He struggled to sit up, and winced as he did so. "Easy," a voice said, pushing him back to lie down again. "You don't want to overdo it too soon."

The voice was familiar. When the light of pain removed itself from his eyes, he was able to move his head and looked at the person standing beside him. "Sis?" he asked in amazement. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on one of the other ships."

"I was," Ellone replied, "and I would be, if you were still on the Ragnarok. But you're not. You're in Esthar Hospital, Squall." 

Squall blinked. "Esthar…Hospital? How did I get here?"

"You blacked out after the shockwave hit the Ragnarok," Ellone replied. "Everyone on the ship did. If Selphie hadn't had the brains to put the ship on Autopilot before the shockwave hit, you'd all be 20,000 leagues under the sea. As soon as the shockwave cleared, we came back and retrieved Ragnarok, and brought her and all of you here to Esthar." 

"All of us?" Squall's eyes widened. "Irvine, Selphie, Tera! Are they…?"

"They're fine," Ellone said. "You took the worst of it, and even you weren't that bad off. You just hit your head on the side of the cargo hold. You've been in and out of consciousness for awhile, but you're going to be fine. Irvine bruised his arm – he's mad because Dr. Kadowaki won't let him take it out of the sling – and Selphie and Tera both came out of it with cuts and bruises. Nothing a Curaga and a couple of Potions couldn't fix." 

Squall breathed a sigh of relief, and closed his eyes. 

Then they snapped open. "What about the City of the Ancients?"

Ellone stiffened, then bit her lip and looked away.

Squall sat up, mindless of the wave of dizziness it caused, and looked at his sister. "Sis?" he asked. "What about the City team?"

She took a deep breath, and then looked at him carefully. "We couldn't find them," she said quietly. "Diving teams are down there now, trying to figure out what happened…but Squall, there's no sign of the City. Some of the divers have reported what looks like debris…there's no sign of the team." 

Squall literally _felt_ himself go pale. _Rinoa, _he thought. _Quistis, Zell, __Savannah__…Seifer… "They're…gone?" he asked in a small voice._

"No one knows," Ellone replied. "Several newspapers who were tracking the operation have written them off as dead, but Uncle Laguna and Cid both refuse to give a final report on that. They said that they won't jump to conclusions where there's no proof."

"Is there a chance?" Squall asked. If anything happened to any of them, even Seifer, he knew he'd never forgive himself. He hadn't wanted to let them go down there without backup, but against his better judgment he'd allowed it. Some Commander he was. 

"Well, Matron keeps bringing up the point that none of them were normal humans, and that they were each bound to the City of the Ancients some way," Ellone said, slightly doubtful. "But I don't know, Squall. I honestly don't know."

"Can't you use your power to see into the future?" Squall asked desperately. "Can't you see if you can find some trace of them?"

"My power doesn't work that way," Ellone said quietly. "You know that, Squall." 

Squall sighed. "I know…I'm grabbing at straws, Sis, that's all. I'm worried about them."

"All of them?" Ellone raised an eyebrow.

"All of them," admitted Squall. "As much as Seifer pisses me off, I have to admit that he's been on his best behavior since he came back to Balamb Garden. Speaking of Garden, where's the Headmaster?"

"Cid's calling a meeting for after you wake up – I'm going to go tell him you've woken up now," Ellone replied. She stood up and placed a sisterly kiss on Squall's forehead. "They're strong, Squall – I wouldn't give up hope yet." 

Squall watched as she left the room, her shawl trailing behind her. When the door slid shut after her, he laid back down to think. 

_What happened out there? he thought. __The last thing I remember is a swarm of monsters attacking the ships – then there was that big blast of light, and then I don't remember anything else. Was that the City of the Ancients being destroyed? If so, by whom? And what happened to Linra? "I'm so confused."_

"You're not the only one."

Squall sat up in surprise, but relaxed when he saw that it was just Irvine. The young Galbadian sharpshooter was minus his coat and his hat, the reason for the coat being the sling that held his arm, as Ellone had mentioned. She hadn't mentioned his other injury, and the reason for the lack of hat – an eye patch over one eye. "What happened?" Squall couldn't stop himself from exclaiming. 

"Bruised the bone and muscle pretty badly – guess I landed on it wrong," Irvine said, motioning to his arm. "They pumped me so full of meds I can't even feel the thing."

"I meant your eye."

"Oh, that." Irvine rolled his eyes, or at least his good eye. "Just a scratch. Dr. Kadowaki says I should have full function in a couple of weeks, but until then, I'm off the roster." 

Squall blinked. "Off the roster?"

"Oh, you didn't know?" Irvine looked surprised. "Headmaster hasn't talked to you yet?"

"I just woke up a few minutes ago," Squall replied. "Sis went to go tell him I was awake. What's going on, Irvine?"

Irvine sighed. "You remember that bright light, don't you? Just before we all went unconscious. It happened after those monsters turned away from the ships."

Squall nodded. "Does anyone know what caused it?"

"Not a clue," Irvine said. "But not an hour after it went off, a huge pillar of light appeared in the distance. They think it's originating from somewhere in the Northern Continent, but the odd thing is, Trabia's registering it as being just as far away from them as it is from us."

"You can see it?" Squall asked. 

Irvine nodded. He crossed over to one of the windows and pulled up the blinds with his good arm. "See for yourself." 

Squall's eyes widened at the sight of a beam of light way off in the distance – a pillar of light, just as Irvine had said. "It's been there since an hour after the explosion?" 

Irvine nodded. "Nobody can remember actually seeing it show up – just that one minute it wasn't there, and then the next, it was. Oddest thing." 

Squall nodded. There was a knock on the door, and Ellone stuck her head in again. "Come on, Squall. Hey, Irvine. Cid is waiting."

"Coming," Squall said. "Irvine?"

"Hey, I still want in, even if I'm on medical leave," Irvine replied. He flung his good arm over Squall's shoulders. "Let's go, buddy." 

"Easy, cowboy," Squall replied, shrugging off Irvine's arm. "Lead the way, Sis."

*****

Cid stood in front of the massive window in Laguna's office. The Esthar president was sitting at his desk, absently tapping a pencil against the wooden top. Ward and Kiros were both standing off to the sides of the room, each seemingly lost in their thoughts. Edea was reading through a book she'd gotten during the time when Ultimeicia had been in possession of her, and sitting quietly on a couch were Tera and Selphie. Both girls had the same uneasy expressions on their faces, and both hadn't spoken a word since showing up. 

The doors opened, and Ellone walked in, Squall and Irvine following behind. Selphie got up and threw herself at Irvine, hugging him tightly for almost a full minute. When she stepped back, Tera gave her brother a hug as well, although somewhat less enthusiastic and being mindful of his arm. Squall stood in front of Cid, and saluted him. "SeeD Commander Squall Leonheart, reporting for duty, sir," he said formally. Irvine and Selphie both saluted as well.

Cid nodded. "At ease. Have a seat." The four teens did so, while Ellone walked over to where Edea was sitting and began talking quietly to the former sorceress. 

"I'm glad to see that the four of you are okay," Cid began, walking away from the window to stand beside Laguna's desk. He smiled at them. "And I'm pleased to see that most of you are in decent shape. Irvine, I'm sorry for your injuries."

Irvine shrugged. "It's not forever. Just don't leave completely out, Headmaster."

"Oh, I won't," Cid said. "I take it that you've all seen the light?"

Tera nodded. "No one knows what's causing it?"

"Our sensors haven't been able to analyze it," Laguna replied, leaning forward at his desk. "And if Esthar's sensors can't pick it up, then no one's can. As it is, if it weren't for the fact that we can _see it, I wouldn't even believe it was there. There's nothing on the sensors that indicates anything out of the ordinary."_

"Which can only mean one thing," Edea said. 

"Magic?" Squall looked at her. She nodded. He sighed. "Great." 

"It's probable that the pillar of light is where Sorceress Linra is currently being held," Cid said. "Whether she's in an active state or still sealed is unknown, but I think – and I'm sure the rest of you agree – that we should assume that she's at full-power, and take necessary precautions."

"Like what?" Selphie asked.

"Anti-magic shielding, weaponry, the works," Edea said. "Although Linra is supposed to be more powerful than even Ultimeicia, it's still our best shot. She's bound to have barriers around her that will need breaking, and there's no telling what she may have attack-wise." 

"Hold on." Squall held up a hand. "Are you saying that we're actually considering _fighting_ her?" 

"Of course," Cid replied. "Why do you think we're forming this team?" 

"I thought it was going to be for reconnaissance purposes only," Squall replied. "What are Rinoa, and Seifer, Zell, Quistis, and Savannah? Shouldn't we be focusing on them first, instead of going after a sorceress we aren't even sure is alive? Weren't you the one saying that Rinoa and the others were the only ones who could fight Linra?"

"They're the only ones who can _seal her," Cid clarified. "When AVALANCHE went up against her years ago, we found that ordinary weapons had just as much of an affect on her as magical weapons."_

"So we're just going to abandon our friends?"

"Squall." Laguna stood up from his desk and moved to stand in front of it, leaning against it with his arms crossed, "We haven't given up on Rinoa and the others. But right now, we need to deal with Linra. This sorceress, according to Cid's accounts and historical records, is more deadly and more cunning that Ultimeicia _ever_ was. She needs to be dealt with before she becomes too powerful." 

Squall scowled. "So what are we supposed to do about our friends?"

"No one knows exactly where they are," Edea said quietly. 

"They aren't dead." 

Everyone looked at Tera, startled by the sound of her voice. She hadn't spoken since arriving in the office. Now she looked at them defiantly, as if daring any of them to argue with her. "They aren't dead," she repeated. "I'd know if Seifer were dead – I'd feel it. I know Squall feels the same way concerning Rinoa. We'd _know_ if they were dead or alive…and they aren't dead." 

"None of us believe they're dead," Cid replied. "Which is why while one team heads for the pillar of light, another team will go to a place that I only have an approximate location on, and it's mostly based on guess. That team will be smaller – Irvine, you'll be going with them." 

Irvine blinked, and pointed to himself. "Me?"

Cid nodded. "I'm not expecting combat, so you'll be perfect to lead the recovery team." 

"I don't know…where will we be going?"

"To the Guardians' headquarters, Cosmo Canyon," Cid said. "Based on the new map Quistis and Zell put together, I've been able to approximately pinpoint the Canyon as being somewhere on the Centra Continent, most likely to the north."

"An approximate location?" Irvine asked weakly. "Don't you have anything more accurate?" 

"Unfortunately, no," Cid replied. "Don't worry too much – Cosmo Canyon is full of magic. When you're near it, you'll know it." 

"…joy." 

*****

Being a closet historian, Zell had read several detailed accounts of places supposedly lost in time, and Cosmo Canyon had been one of them. Although most of the information on it had been lost – particularly the information about the race of beings who lived there – he'd come across a copy of an ancient book that had held a description of the canyon and how it had appeared before Linra had destroyed it in an attempt to kill his father and Aeris Gainsborough…or so Savannah said. 

What he saw now didn't begin to compare to what he had seen sketches off.

The new Cosmo Canyon, well hidden and in the same approximate location that its previous incarnation had been, was about three times the size and much more populated than the old. It was also more technologically advanced, and while it retained much of the same medieval atmosphere that everything else about the Guardians seemed to hint at, there was still enough modernization to make Zell feel comfortable as he looked over the entire populous from the balcony of his suite. 

There was a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," he called, not bothering to turn around, figuring it was another servant coming with something.

"Zell?"

Startled that someone was actually referring to him by his name – because try as he might, he couldn't think of himself as Zellphirus – he relaxed when he saw that it was Quistis. "Hey," he said, a smile breaking out on his face. "How're you feeling?"

"Much better now that I've slept and gotten something to eat," Quistis said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. She stood there, fidgeting slightly and not quite meeting Zell's eyes.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

"Savannah talked to you, ne?" Zell stepped back into the main room and closed the door to the balcony. 

Quistis nodded, and unless Zell was mistaken, there was a hint of blush to her cheeks. "And to you, I see."

"Mm-hmm." Zell stood near the balcony door, shifting awkwardly. "Um…have a seat." He gestured to the couch. 

"Thanks." Quistis sat down, and fidgeted about as much as Zell was. "Well," she finally said. "This is awkward." 

"You can say that again," Zell said, some of the tension leaving him. He sat down next to her and leaned back, propping his feet up on the table and folding his arms behind his head. "Figures, though, huh? We end up finding out who our real parents are…and discover that they managed to screw us over before we could even walk and talk." 

Quistis stiffened slightly, and then looked at him uncertainly. "You…really think so?" 

"Well, we didn't ask for this, did we?" Zell asked.

"No…" Quistis wondered then if that kiss they'd shared in the Quad several days earlier had meant _anything_ to Zell. Had she been reading him completely wrong? "Zell?" 

"Yeah?" He looked at her inquisitively. 

"Um…about the other day…" 

Zell looked confused. "The other day?" 

Quistis nodded. "Back at Garden…in the Quad, before we found out about our parents and everything…" 

"Wow, it's been awhile since then," Zell realized. "I didn't think so much time had gone past." 

"Yeah…anyway, what I'm wondering is…well, you see…" Great, Quistis. This is the same thing that made you screw up with Squall years ago. You just have no self-confidence when it comes to members of the opposite sex. 

Zell looked at her silently. 

"The kiss," Quistis blurted out. "Did it…I mean, do you…didn't you…"

"Yeah," Zell said, nodding. 

Quistis blinked, not only from his response, but always from the fact that he'd actually been able to make sense out of what she said and had understood it correctly. "…really?" 

He sat up, dropping his feet to the floor. One arm remained on the back of the couch, the other resting on his leg. "Really." 

"Well…why didn't you say anything?" Quistis asked indignantly. 

"Because you didn't say anything!" 

"Why was _I _supposed to be the one to say something? _You_ kissed _me!_" 

"That's not how I remember it." 

"That's how it happened."

"Actually, it was more of a mutual thing – but never mind that! I didn't think _you_ liked it!" 

"Of course I liked it! I've been waiting for you to do that for _months!_" 

Zell gaped at her, the argument coming to a screeching halt. "You have?"

Quistis nodded, face red with embarrassment. 

It suddenly felt very awkward in the room.

"Why…" Zell cleared his throat. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"You're still going out with Leslie."

Zell rolled his eyes. "_Leslie_ is the only one who thinks I'm still going out with Leslie. Trust me, Quisty…I'm _not_ going out with her. I broke it off officially before we left for the City of the Ancients."

Quistis looked surprised. "You didn't say anything."

"I didn't think it would matter much to you," Zell muttered. 

"Well, it does." 

There was another awkward pause, but this time, it was Quistis who broke the silence. "So what now?"

"I…don't know." The two of them looked at each other, and then Zell slid over towards Quistis. He touched her face gently, tilting her chin up so that she was looking up at him…

…and the door slammed open. 

"Okay, what's going on here?! Where are we?!" 

Quistis and Zell jumped away from each other as Hurricane Seifer hit the room. Rinoa slipped in quietly behind him, closing the door as she did so. "I see you're awake," Zell said dryly. 

"Where are we?" Seifer demanded, ignoring Zell's comment. 

"Cosmo Canyon," Quistis replied. She nodded to Zell. "Home of Zell's people."

"They're not my people," Zell muttered under his breath.

The other three looked at him, startled. "Zell…" Rinoa said. 

"Drop it," Zell said shortly. 

Rinoa frowned. 

Quistis, ever the peacemaker, held up her hands. "I think we all need to sit down and relax," she said. "Obviously we're feeling a bit on edge, for various reasons. Seifer, Rinoa, how long have you two been awake?"

"About half an hour," Rinoa said. 

"Ten minutes," Seifer muttered, stifling a yawn. 

"And you couldn't have waited a few more?" Zell grumbled as he leaned back on the couch, his arms folded over his chest. Quistis touched his knee, and then looked at her brother and sister. 

"Savannah hasn't had time to come talk to you, then?"

Rinoa shook her head. "No. I met up with Seifer in the hall, and he convinced a Guardian to tell us where this room was. We came here." 

"Why?" Seifer asked. "What's going on?"

"We failed," Zell said, scowling. "The City of the Ancients has been destroyed, and Linra's free. We've also been separated from Squall and the others, so there's no way to know if they're alive or dead." 

Rinoa and Seifer looked at each other. "So…no contact?" Seifer asked.

"None."

The four of them fell silent, each of them lost in their thoughts. Then Seifer, looking around, commented, "Why is your room so much bigger than the one I was in?" 

"Oh…that…" Zell sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Apparently, I'm something like a…prince. Here, at least."

Seifer and Rinoa looked at him. Only Quistis seemed to think it was normal…after all, she'd already spoken to Savannah. It had come up during the betrothal conversation. 

"A prince," Rinoa said finally. "Wow." 

Zell shrugged. "Doesn't matter to me. I'm not sticking around here any longer than I have to." 

"But if you're a prince…"

"It. Doesn't. Matter." Zell stood up and pushed open the doors leading out into the balcony. He leaned against the railing and looked down into the Canyon, where he could see Guardians running around in both beast and human forms. A cool breeze wafted by, rustling his hair. Then he looked up, and his eyes widened. "Hey, guys, look at this!" 

Seifer, Rinoa, and Quistis hurried onto the balcony and looked in the direction he was pointing. 

Seifer drew in a sharp breath at the sight of the huge pillar of light that seemed to rise up from the distance. "Oh, man," he said, green eyes wide. "What _is_ that?"

A chill went down Quistis' spine, and she spun around, immediately feeling the familiar presence that someone was watching her. But unlike those other times, there was no one there. Not her mother, and not the man with the silver-hair – her stepfather, apparently, and Seifer's father. But the presence continued to linger. 

A hand fell on her shoulder, and she jumped. "Whoa, take it easy," Zell said. "What is it, Quisty?"

"There's something in this room," Quistis whispered. "But I can't see them. It's not like the other times, Zell." 

"Other times?" Rinoa asked questioningly.

Seifer remembered seeing the woman in the pink dress in the Quad. "So it's not…her?" he asked.

Quistis shook her head. 

"_What_ other times?" Rinoa demanded.

"I've been seeing…spirits, I suppose," Quistis said quietly. "First my mother, then Sephiroth…our father down in the City of the Ancients, but we all saw him…but this is a new spirit. And I can't see him or her."

"We should ask Savannah," Seifer suggested. 

Zell scowled. Then, seeing the look of distress and uneasiness on Quistis' face, he sighed. "I'll go see if I can find you. You three wait here…I'm not sure, but I get the feeling the majority of Cosmo Canyon might be a bit uneasy around you." He put his hands in the pockets of his brigga, and walked out of the room.

"What's with him?" Seifer asked. 

"I think he's having trouble accepting who he is," Quistis said quietly. "Just…don't bother him about it, okay?"

"Who, me?"

The look his sisters gave him shut Seifer up immediately. 

*****

_Just how big is_ this place?_ Zell thought irritably as he walked down the hall…the same hall he'd been walking down for the past ten minutes. "The others are going to think I got lost," he muttered. _

Finally, there was a turn in the passage, and Zell took the corner…

…and promptly slammed into another Guardian. This one was full-grown, in human form, with dark skin and light brown hair. His mark was pure white, shocking to see against his skin. 

And he was also a good foot taller than Zell, not to mention much more muscled. 

"S-sorry," Zell stammered. "I didn't mean to…" _Jeez, this guy looks like he could play basketball with me_ if he wanted to!__

The Guardian rubbed his arm and glared at him…then the glare immediately softened. "No, _I'm_ the one who should apologize, heika," he said, bowing slightly. "I didn't mean to startle you." 

Zell cringed slightly at the title. "Look…don't call me that," he said. "I'm not a lord or a prince or anyone special. I'm just a normal teenager." 

The Guardian looked amused. "I'm afraid that, as your captain of the guard, I _must_ refer to you with respect, heika." 

"Captain of the…guard?"

"Hai." He bowed. "My name is Tevrow. In fact, I was just coming to fetch you...Jou-sama wishes to have a word with you." 

Jou-sama…queen. _Savannah__. Zell scowled. "Good, because __I want to have a word with _her._"_

"This way, then." Tevrow turned and motioned for Zell to follow him.

Zell did, winding his way through yet _another extremely long corridor. At the end of the corridor was a set of doors, which Tevrow pushed open to reveal a spacious chamber. There wasn't much in it, and Zell noticed that all of the Guardians inside were in their beast form. As Tevrow entered, his shape changed and flowed, until he was a Guardian with black fur, white markings, and a tan mane with a tannish flame on the end of his tail. _

From the center of the room, a graceful Guardian of tan and blonde coloring rose to her feet from a lying position. "Come in, Zellphirus," the Guardian said, and Zell realized it was Savannah.

Feel awkward and out of place, Zell stepped forward…and let out a gasp of shock as the ground seemed to rush up to meet him. There was a numbing sensation that coursed throughout his body, and when it faded and he opened his eyes…which he hadn't even realized he'd closed…he realized he was on his hands and knees. Shaking his head, he tried to stand up…

And realized that he was standing. He looked down at his hands…and saw tan paws. 

"What…what happened to me?!" he yelped, eyes widening. 

He twisted around, and saw, to his shock, a long tail extended from his back…a blue flame on the end. He tried to twist further, to inspect it some more, and stumbled forward, rolling onto his back with his paws in the air. "What's going on?" 

Several of the Guardians started to laugh, but the laughter abruptly stopped with a sharp glare from Savannah. She stood from her place and walked over to him. "Relax," she instructed. "Get up, Zellphirus."

Zell looked up at her, and then managed to roll back over and stagger to his feet. "What have you done to me?" he asked, noticing that like this, he was a bit taller than she was.

"We haven't done anything to you," Savannah replied matter-of-factly. "This is a sacred room for the Guardians…our meeting hall. When Guardians enter this place in human form, they immediately revert to their true form. When they leave, they return to human form." 

"You tricked me!" Zell accused. "You knew I wasn't in beast form!" 

"You wouldn't accept what you are," Savannah replied. "This was the only way I could get you to see the truth…you _are_ a Guardian, you _are my son, and you __are our leader." She turned to the assembled group. "Are there any objections to that?" _

Most of the Guardians shook their heads, but there was one, way in the back, who stood up and made his way forward. He had rust-red fur and a black mane, a violet flame at the end of his tail. 

"Yes, Rhys?" 

"I have no objections that he is a Guardian, nor that he is your son, my Queen," Rhys said politely, "however…is he up to the task of being leader? He knows nothing of our ways." 

_Finally…someone who agrees with me! Zell thought. _

"After all," Rhys continued, "our leader should be a strong fighter, both in human and true form, as well as intelligent and wise." He looked at Zell coolly. "He's a bit small to be intimidating." 

Zell felt his mane stand on end. "Just what are you implying?" he demanded angrily. "I'll have you know that I'm the best martial artist in Balamb Garden, I've been a SeeD for two years, _and I know more about history than you __ever will!" _

Rhys looked unimpressed. "Perhaps," he said, unconvinced, "but you certainly have a temper…a leader should also be able to keep a cool head in confrontation. Tell me, with this…_SeeD_…are you the leader?"

"…well, no…" 

Rhys looked smug. 

"That's enough, Rhys," Savannah said sharply. "You may sit down, now." 

Rhys bowed. "Of course, my Queen." He turned and headed back to where he was coming from, but Zell had met enough tough guys to know that this wasn't he last he'd be hearing from Rhys on this subject. 

"Don't mind him," Savannah murmured. "He's still young." 

There was a quiet tittering from among those who had heard her, and Rhys turned, confused. When he realized they were laughing at him, he glared fiercely at Zell, and then resumed his spot with his head held high, as if to show that it didn't bother him. 

_Oh, great, Zell thought. _I think I just made an enemy_. Sighing, he pushed Rhys out of his mind, and turned to Savannah. "Look, I really don't think…" _

The doors slammed open, and two Guardians rushed in. They bowed to Savannah, then paused, and immediately bowed to Zell. "Heika, Jou sama…there's trouble!" 

"What is it, Gweniver, Sarcyn?" Savannah asked. "Linra?" 

One of them, the smaller of the two, nodded. "Fiends, heading this way!" Gweniver replied. "From the direction of the light!" 

Savannah paled. "Fiends? Here?" 

"What's it mean?" Zell asked.

"It means…Linra's found the Canyon." 


	36. Attack in the Sky

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Six: Attack in the Sky**

Cid stood on the Highwind's bridge, looking out through the massive observation in front of him. He'd been up all night, guiding the airship, while his teammates rested…or so he figured they had. With what was ahead of them, he wasn't at all sure if _any of them were able to sleep. _

He leaned back in the chair he'd brought up and yawned, not from exhaustion, but from boredom. Nothing was happening, and nothing would probably continue to happen for the next two or three hours, at least until dawn. He checked their position, and saw that they were still about a day away from the City of the Ancients. He adjusted the throttle, getting a bit more speed from the engines. They couldn't afford to waste any time. 

Something moved behind him, and he stood up, reaching for the spear that was leaning against the wall. 

"Take it easy," Sephiroth said quietly, his hands raised to show that he was unarmed. His long silver hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he looked like he'd just woken up. 

Cid frowned. "What the hell are you doing up here?" he demanded, forcing himself to stay quiet. 

"I was actually looking for the deck," Sephiroth replied. "I don't know my way around here, especially in the middle of the night." 

Cid didn't relax. "Why the hell do you want to go up on the deck? There's nothing to see."

"Not to you, maybe, but as one with Cetra blood, I can see in the dark," Sephiroth replied. "I had an uneasy feeling…I just want to make sure everything is clear." 

Cid scowled. "If there were anything out there, the radar would've picked it up. I'm not opening the damn door to the deck at this hour, so go back to sleep." 

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "You don't like me, apparently." 

"Can you fucking blame me?"

The silver-haired swordsman sighed and looked out the main window. "I suppose not," he murmured. "However, I _am unarmed. No sword, no Materia." _

"And you were an ex-SOLDIER, so I _know you have some hand-to-hand training," Cid said, rolling his eyes. "Besides which, no one's allowed on the bridge at night except me. So get lost." _

"Temper, temper," Sephiroth smirked. 

"Why you…!" Cid took a step forward. 

"Cid, stop it." 

Cid stopped, and looked over to the stairs behind Sephiroth, where Aeris was climbing up, dressed in her nightclothes. He looked at her defensively. "I wasn't doing anything." 

She looked at him skeptically, then turned to Sephiroth. "What are you doing up here?" she asked.

"I had a feeling," Sephiroth replied. "I was trying to find the deck…I got lost, and _he's_ not helping." He scowled in Cid's direction. 

Cid folded his arms over his chest, clearing not willing to give an inch. 

"A feeling?" Aeris looked troubled. "I had the same thing, when I woke up." She turned to Cid. "Please open the deck door…just for a moment? We'll only be a couple of minutes, I promise." 

Cid looked at her, ready to argue…and then sighed. "Okay, fine. But he doesn't go up there alone, under any circumstances. _Got it?" He glared at Sephiroth. Sephiroth stared calmly back, completely unintimidated. _

Aeris smiled at Cid. "Thank you, Cid." 

"Yeah, whatever…" 

Aeris took Sephiroth's hand and pulled him off the bridge, leading the way to the stairs that led up to the deck. 

"You weren't just saying you had a feeling to get Cid to let me up here, were you?" Sephiroth asked.

"Sephiroth Almasy!" Aeris exclaimed, indignant. "Do you _really_ think I would deceive a friend like that?"

Sephiroth raised an eyebrow. "You may pretend to be Little Miss Innocent, _Mrs. _Almasy, but I know you." 

The two of them paused at the top of the stairs and smiled at each other. Then Aeris turned to the door and opened it. "Actually, I _did_ have a strange feeling…something from the Planet. I'm as interested in coming up here as you are." 

Sephiroth nodded, and followed her onto the deck. They stood there, together, silent, looking around. At first glance nothing seemed out of the ordinary on the deck…it was nearly empty, most of the cargo down in the hold, and over-all in good shape despite the hell Sephiroth and Cloud's fight had put it through. 

"Spread out and check," he told Aeris in a quiet voice, and she nodded, moving to the left. He went to the right, his senses on high alert for any trouble. 

Something moved behind him, and he spun around. Eyes wide, he threw himself to the side and into a roll just as a large clawed arm swept down towards his head. "Aeris!" he shouted. 

A scream sounded from the direction Aeris was in, followed by a snarl. "I'm okay!" she shouted a second later, but she sounded breathless…Sephiroth dodged another swipe, turned, and managed to get a good look at the creature.

It was twice the size of a man, and the main body was shaped almost humanoid…like a living skeleton, covered in oily residue. There was no flesh, only bone, and it had a certain spider-like quality in the many arms and legs…which branched off into more arms and legs…and more…until they were so small they were just claws. 

All in all, _not_ something you wanted to meet on an abandoned deck on a dark night with no weapons. 

The creature squealed suddenly, and lunged for Sephiroth. He ducked under the swiping claw, bit his lip hard when another one raked down his back sharply, but managed to escape further injury as he ran for the door leading down in the cabin. "AERIS!" 

She appeared then, from the other side of the deck, another one of the creatures just a few feet behind her. Blood trailed down her leg, and he reached out and grabbed her, pushing her inside and closing the door just in time. 

"What the fuck in the nine hells is going on up there?" Cid demanded, coming out of the bridge. His eyes widened. "What happened to _you?_"

"Long story," Aeris panted. 

"Short one," Sephiroth corrected tersely. "We're under attack. And whatever they are, they're _nasty." _

Cid's eyes widened. "Under attack?"

Sephiroth nodded. "We need to seal off the inner ship, keep them up on the deck, then wake everyone up and form a…" His voice trailed off as the sound of something crashing echoed through the Highwind. "Shit." 

The screaming started a moment later. 

*****

Catherine rolled out of bed as a huge talon came slicing down, the creature screaming furiously. She hit the ground and rolled out of the blankets that had come with her, and then threw them at the creature. She winced as broken glass cut into the bottom of her foot, but she wasted no time in grabbing her crossbow as the creature was momentarily perplexed by the mass on its head. As she raised the crossbow to aim, it suddenly figured out that it could tear the blankets, and they fell to the ground in tatters. It blinked its dead eyes at her…

…and she turned and ran. 

With its screams echoing behind her, she bolted down the corridor of the Highwind, her nightgown flying around her legs as she ran. She turned another corner, and immediately slammed into something. She screamed in surprised. 

"Whoa, Catherine, it's me, it's just me," Vincent said, grabbing her arms and steadying her. 

She stopped screaming almost instantly. "Vincent?"

He nodded.

"Thank God!" She threw her arms around him, then stepped back a second later. "We've got to get out of here."

"What _was_ that?" Vincent asked. "I heard the crash, and the screams…" 

"It's some sort of creature – I think the Sorceress sent it – it broke through the window in my cabin," she replied hurriedly. "We have to…" She was cut off by another scream, this one closer, and the sound of talons clacking their way down the corridor behind her. Fast. 

Vincent grabbed her arm and they ran the way he had come from. The sound of the talons grew louder and more hurried, and then there was another scream from directly behind them. And in front of them, as another one of the creatures turned the corner. 

"K'so!" Vincent cursed softly, pulling the Death Penalty out of its holster and firing at the front creature. Catherine turned around and raised her crossbow at the other, and fired. The first bolt whizzed past it, but the second lodged itself directly in the creature's eye…and it kept going. 

"Shit!" she exclaimed, eyes wide.

And then the creature was staggering back as one of its many limbs fell to the ground, a victim of Cloud's Ultima Weapon as Cloud threw open a door that Catherine and Vincent hadn't even noticed, and slashed out at the creature. He looked over his shoulder. "In here!" 

Catherine and Vincent wasted no time in following him into the side room. Cloud slammed the door open, and then ran across the room to another door. He pulled it open, revealing Tifa, who was carrying Seifer, and Yuffie, who had Quistis. Both babies were silent, their eyes wide. "What _are those things?" Yuffie demanded. _

"I don't know, and I _really don't want to find out," Cloud replied. "Where are the others?"_

"Reno and Barrett ran off to help Cid on the bridge," Tifa said. "It sounded like there was some trouble coming from over there." 

"Daddy," Seifer whimpered. Tifa stroked his downy hair, murmuring softly to him. She looked at Cloud. "Yuffie and I couldn't find Sephiroth or Aeris…" 

Cloud cursed softly under his breath. "Let's go," he said. "We'll head for the bridge, look for the others first. Tifa, Yuffie, you stay with the kids…Vincent, Catherine, and I will cover you. _Don't fight, under any circumstances."_

"Don't'cha just love it when he gets all commando-like?" Yuffie drawled, glancing at Tifa. 

A pair of claws cut through the other door. 

"RUN!" Cloud shouted. 

*****

"FUCKING SHIT!" Cid shouted, blocking on the creature's swipes at his head with his Venus Gospel. "Where the hell did these things come from?" 

"Linra," Sephiroth replied as he dodged another claw, trying to get in close enough to do some damage, and not succeeding. Behind him, Aeris was sitting on the floor, her Princess Guard next to him, weak from blood loss from the cuts the creatures had caused up on deck. He was determined not to let them get to her. 

Cid grimaced as he rolled a chair in the creature's wake, causing it to stumble momentarily. "We've got to get them out of the bridge!" he shouted. Outside, he could hear gunfire – most likely Barrett – and the sound of Lightning magic being used – probably Reno. There were only two creatures on the bridge – Cid hated to think about how many others there were. At least one outside the bridge…probably another somewhere else, judging from the scream he'd heard earlier. Two on the deck…

Something loomed in the bridge window behind him. 

Cid spun around, just in time to see the two creatures from the deck leap through the window, shattering the glass into thousands of tiny pieces. "SHIT!" he shouted as he hit the floor to cover his face. 

Sephiroth dropped the Masamune and threw himself over Aeris to shield her, crying out in pain when a claw from the creature he'd been fighting cut into his back. 

But that was the least of their problems. Smoke was filling the bridge. 

Cid looked up, and saw that several of the new creatures' claws had penetrated the bridge controls. 

The autopilot controls. 

"Holy fucking hell," Cid whispered. 

The Highwind lurched, stalled, shuddered…and began to fall. 


	37. Swarm Warning

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: Swarm Warning**

"What do you mean, Linra's found the Canyon?" Zell stared at Savannah in shock. "I thought this place was supposed to be safe!" 

Savannah got to her feet, shaking out her mane. "It was," she said. "I don't understand how they could've gotten the information about our location, especially in such a short amount of time…" 

Tevrow looked at Savannah. "Your Majesty, should I rally the guards?" 

Savannah looked at him, and then nodded. "Yes. Gather the guards around the perimeter…seal off the compound. Gather all the pups in one place. Warriors, prepare for battle. Be prepared to fight both in human form and in Guardian form," she said. 

Tevrow and couple other Guardians bowed, and then ran out of the throne room. 

"Rhys," Savannah said, turning to the rust-red Guardian. He straightened up, ready for her orders. "I'm putting you in command of the front-line." 

Rhys bowed. "Yes, Jou-sama." Smirking at Zell, he hurried out of the room. 

Zell looked at Savannah. "What about me?" 

Savannah looked at him. "I'm not sure if you're ready for a Guardian battle…we have very different methods of combat than SeeD." 

Zell snorted. "Different methods or not, it's the same enemy. They aren't human, right?" 

"Linra's forces are rarely anything that resembles a human, correct…" 

"Then there won't be a problem with the methods of combat," Zell replied. "Let my friends and I help you." 

"We're estimating several hundred enemies, Jou-sama," Sarcyn replied. 

Savannah looked at Zell…and was startled by the stubborn look on his face. "We can handle it," he said. "We owe the Guardians for their help...so let us return the favor." 

_As noble as any Guardian, Savannah thought, _and yet still not ready to accept his birthright. _Although still uncertain about agreeing to let Zell go into the battle, she nodded slowly. "If your friends will agree…" _

"Leave them to me." Turning, Zell darted out of the room – instantly returning to human form the minute he was out of the field of magic. 

Gweniver looked at Savannah. "Is it wise, Jou-sama?" she asked uncertainly. 

Savannah sighed. "I don't know…" she murmured. Then she turned to them. "Come on. We have a Canyon to defend." 

*****

Rinoa looked over the railing surrounding Zell's balcony. "Look," she said, eyes wide. "The Guardians…something's changed." 

Seifer and Quistis moved to join her, and looked down. Several of the adults seemed to be herding the children into the main structure. Others were running towards the walls surrounding the Canyon itself, and still others seemed to be gathering in an almost military-like set-up. 

"Something's wrong," Quistis realized. "They know something." 

Seifer nodded. "They definitely know something. Look at the way they're moving – it's as if they're preparing for battle. Protecting the children, moving the adults to the boundaries…they're guarding against something." 

"Are you sure?" Rinoa asked uncertainly. "I thought this place was protected." 

"It was." 

The three of them turned from the balcony rail to look at Zell, who was standing behind them in the actual room. 

"Zell?" Quistis asked quizzically. 

"It's the Sorceress," Zell replied. "She's found the Canyon, and the Guardians are preparing to defend it against the fiends she's sending our way." 

Quistis' eyes widened. "Linra?" 

"Know any other psycho Sorceresses?" 

Seifer looked at him. "You don't think…" 

"That she's after us?" Zell sighed, running his hands through his spiked hair. "Considering the fact that we tried to _kill her – I'd say that's a high possibility." _

"But how did she _find_ us?" Rinoa exclaimed. 

"Does it matter?" Quistis asked. "If she _is after us, then it's our fault that she's attacking the Canyon – we've got to do something." She looked at Zell. "I'm not just going to sit back and watch the Guardians fight our battles." _

Zell nodded in understanding. "Trust me," he assured her, "the thought of _not_ doing anything is furthest from my mind." 

He looked at Quistis, who was already turning back to look over the balcony, the expression on her face clearly indicating that she was sizing up the situation from what she could see. Rinoa was looking a little apprehensive, but at the same time seemed determined. 

Then Zell looked at Seifer. 

The ex-Knight had an unreadable expression on his face. His arms were folded over his chest, and he was staring at the wall.

"If you don't want to fight, then stay here," Zell said, looking at him. 

Quistis and Rinoa both looked up, startled. 

Seifer looked at Zell, raising an eyebrow. "Who said I wasn't going to fight?" he asked. 

"Well…" 

"I was only thinking," Seifer said, "that it's a little odd that this place, which up until now has been kept an absolute secret, is suddenly targeted the moment we got here. Now, either that means Linra has some way of tracking us – which, although possible, is probably not too likely since she can't even be sure of who we _are. Or…" He paused, looking at Zell. "Or it means someone tipped her off on our location." _

Rinoa drew in a sharp breath. 

"But that would mean one of the Guardians would've had to betray their clan," Quistis said, eyes wide. 

Zell looked grim. "As tempted as I am to argue with you, Seifer – you've got a good point." 

"But…" Rinoa looked troubled. "I can't imagine one of them doing that – they all seem so loyal…" 

"_Seem_ being the operative word," Seifer replied. "There's no such thing as _total loyalty." _

Quistis nodded slowly. "He's right…Zell…you've met a lot of them. Did anyone give any indication that they might be less than loyal?"

Zell frowned slightly, then shook his head. "No…not that I could tell. Some of them don't seem too thrilled with _me_, but they follow Savannah without question. If there is a traitor, I haven't met him or her." 

Rinoa gazed out over the Canyon, then stiffened, her eyes widening. "Look!" she cried, pointing. 

The other three turned, and stared as they saw a huge black mass in the sky, heading straight towards Cosmo Canyon. From a distance it looked like it was just one seething mass of something, but as it came closer, it was obvious that it was, in fact, a swarm of fiends, moving towards them with murderous intent. 

"We're out of time," Zell said. "Never mind the traitor for now – we've _got_ to get down there and help them!" He turned on his heel and hurried inside, grabbing his Ergheiz gloves from the table and fastening them to his hands. Then he realized that he was the only one who had brought his weapons with him – thanks to the City of the Ancients, only his gloves had been acceptable to bring. "You guys don't have weapons…" 

"Then we'll just have to use magic," Quistis said, looking at Rinoa and Seifer. "I think the three of us can manage until we find substitutes for our weapons." 

Rinoa nodded, and Seifer grinned. "A few fire spells, and they'll be toast," he said confidently. 

The four of them looked at each other, sharing a feeling of camaraderie. Then they turned and ran from the room. 

*****

"Why is it so _hot_?" Selphie complained as she sat back in the pilot's chair of Ragnarok. She pulled the top of her sundress down just a little to get it to stop clinging to her skin, but it didn't help much. "We're halfway to Trabia – the temperature is supposed to _drop!_" 

"Weather patterns have been abnormal ever since the pillar appeared," Tera said, coming up behind Selphie's chair. "We're going to have to start expecting things like this." 

"It's bad enough that freak lightning storm in Esthar prevented us from starting out right away, but now we have to deal with a sauna, too?" Selphie leaned forward and poked at a button on the console. "I even have the air conditioning up to full blast!" 

The door to the bridge opened, and Squall walked in. "Any word from Irvine?" he asked. 

"Yeah – his team managed to make it Centra, but the storm followed them. They're being delayed until it dies down a little."

"I hope he's okay," Tera murmured. 

"Irvy's tough," Selphie said confidently, smiling at the thought of her boyfriend. "Besides, they're not really expecting trouble, right?" She looked at Squall. "That's what Cid said, right?" 

Squall nodded. "Cosmo Canyon is supposed to be protected, so the most trouble they're supposed to have is finding it." 

"Still…" Tera crossed over to the observation window, staring out at the pillar of light in the distance. "This is frustrating! We don't seem to be getting _any_ closer to it." 

"Except the instruments seem to indicate that we are," Selphie said. "Kind of. We can't get an actual reading on the light itself, but we can get one on the area surrounding it – and we're getting closer." 

Tera folded her arms over her chest and looked out the window thoughtfully. "Ne," she said after a moment. "What do you two know about…AVALANCHE?" 

Squall and Selphie both looked startled for a moment, and then they looked at each other. "Not much," Selphie said. "I mean…about as much as anyone, I guess. Maybe a little more, since we know what Headmaster Cid and Savannah told us. Why?" 

Tera shrugged. "I don't know. I guess…well, I guess I'm curious. I mean, they _are_ our parents. I feel like we should know a lot more about them than the average person." 

Squall nodded slightly. "I talked to my father…even he doesn't know much, and his family line has been around for years. He said that it's been so long, most of the information on Reeve Loire was lost decades ago." 

"It's weird, isn't it?" Tera asked. "How all the information just seems to disappear." 

"Yeah." Selphie bit her lip. Then her eyes widened slightly. "Heyyyy…I just thought of a way we could kill time!" 

Squall and Tera looked at her. "How?" they both asked. 

"Well, wasn't this ship supposed to be the ship that our parents died on?" Selphie asked. "Maybe there's still some things here that have to do with them! I mean, Headmaster Cid _did say that the Squall and Rinoa were the first people to be on the ship since the Propagators attacked. Which means nothing should've been disturbed, right?" _

Tera's eyes widened. "So, you think we should explore?" 

"Yeah!" Selphie jumped out of the chair. "We lock the ship onto the coordinates, and then we're free to do what we want for the rest of the trip! We could probably check out the entire ship before we get there!" 

"Dozens of people have been in and out of the Ragnarok since we brought it back, Selphie," Squall said. "I doubt we'll really find anything." 

Selphie put her hands on her hips and frowned at him. "Oh, quite being a spoilsport," she said. "You have anything better for us to do?" 

Squall opened his mouth to speak…then closed it. 

"Didn't think so," Selphie said triumphantly. She looked at Tera. "What about you? You interested?" 

Tera nodded, a gleam in her eye. "Hai," she said. 

"Great!" Selphie immediately began setting up the autopilot. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's start the hunt!" 

Squall sighed. "Okay, okay," he said, holding up his hands. "As ridiculous as I figure this is…you're right, Selphie, we don't have anything better to do."

"That means you'll join us?" Selphie asked hopefully. 

Squall nodded. 

"Booyaka!" Selphie cried, pumping her fist into the air. "Okay. Since we've got a lot of time, we can do this together instead of splitting up." She reached under her chair and pulled out a pile of charts. "Now, I have maps here of the interior of the ship – we can cross out the places we check as we go along, okay?" 

Squall glanced at Tera. "You get the feeling she had this planned?" he asked. 

"Oh, yeah," Tera said, nodding. 

Selphie heard them and stuck her tongue out at them. "Spoilsports." 

*****

Irvine lay on the edge of the cliff, a pair of binoculars held up to his eyes as he scanned the terrain of the Centra continent. 

Nothing. 

Zero. 

Zip. 

Zilch. 

Nada. 

"Okay, this makes _no_ sense," the cowboy grumbled as he lowered the binoculars and turned to look at Kiros. "One minute there's a raging storm preventing us from having any communication with anyone whatsoever…then the storm's gone, and we _still don't have communication with anyone!" Irvine tossed the binoculars on the ground and pushed himself up with his good arm, his injured arm still cradled against his chest. "Fucking hell…" _

"It could be worse," Kiros said. 

Irvine looked at him skeptically. "_How could it be worse?" _

"We could still be in the middle of the storm," Kiros replied calmly. 

Irvine glowered at him, then turned and headed down the not-so-steep back of the cliff. 

"Where are you going?" 

"For a walk," Irvine replied over his shoulder. "Get back to camp, Kiros, see if the others made any progress repairing that damn satellite." He didn't hear Kiros' reply as he moved out of range, pulling his hat down over his eyes as he walked towards the nearby woods. 

Being cooped up in a tent with several guys he didn't know for the past twenty-four hours hadn't been pleasant. That was how long that blasted storm had lasted…before it'd suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving their communications equipment and their camp completely wrecked. Irvine had been amazed at how _thoroughly it had been wrecked, too. Except for the tent that everyone had been forced to remain in, everything else had been in shambles. _

Irvine sighed. He thought he'd been given the _easy task compared to what Selphie, Tera, and Squall were doing. But he was barely two days into his assignment, and already he was ready to call it quits. _

The Galbadian cowboy massaged his injured shoulder as he walked along the edge of the woods, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. He didn't know precisely _what _he was looking for, but he knew he'd find it if it were there. At least, he hoped he would. 

A tree branch snagged his hat and pulled it off his head, sending the hat tumbling to the ground. Sighing, Irvine turned around and picked it up, doing his best to brush it off with one hand as he moved to place it back in its proper place. 

He turned around. 

And promptly jumped three feet in the air when he spotted the Guardian standing in his path, looking at him with dark, intelligent eyes. "Oh, man, you scared me," Irvine said, letting out a breath. "Warn a guy next time you're going to do that…are you part of Savannah's crew? I've been trying to track you all down…" 

The Guardian said nothing, instead just looking at him. 

"Um…hello?" Irvine cocked his head to one side. "Do you speak English? Japanese? Any language?" 

Again, there was no reply. The Guardian instead motioned over to the cliffs with his head, as if telling Irvine to head in that direction. 

"I don't get it," the cowboy said, clueless. 

Shaking his head, the red-and-black Guardian turned his back on Irvine and bounded in that direction. Irvine, not at all sure what was going on but not about to let his one clue to finding Cosmo Canyon leave him behind, took off after him. _I hope he doesn't go too far…_

The Guardian didn't. Irvine found him over the next hill, standing on an outcropping and staring out over the vast Centra Continent. A gust of wind blew by, ruffling Irvine's hair – strange, though, that the Guardian's mane didn't move, nor his tail flicker. 

The Guardian turned to look over his shoulder, and then Irvine saw it. Amongst the various markings and scars on the Guardian's rust-red coat was a tattoo.  

XIII. 

Irvine's eyes widened. "Wait a minute…are you…?" 

The Guardian looked at him for a moment…and then vanished. 

Irvine stared at the spot where the Guardian had been, his mouth open in shock. _That was…Hyne, that was…no way…_ He approached the spot where the Guardian had been standing and stared at the ground, then looked up, as if hoping to see the spirit reappear just as quickly as he had disappeared. 

Instead, he saw what Red XIII had been trying to show him. A huge swarm of…something…heading in a straight line for a part of Centra Continent that, when Irvine looked at it, seemed to slip away as if his eyes were automatically being drawn to a different location. And he knew. 

He had found Cosmo Canyon.

And they were in big trouble. 

"Oh. Shit." 

*****

Author's Note: Man, I am _so sorry for the long wait! I never intended to take this long on this chapter – but in the last few months since the post I've had to deal with the first semester of college, the chaos that comes with putting an addition onto the house, starting a new job, and dealing with my stepfather breaking his leg. ::bows in apology:: I apologize for the huge wait, and I don't intend to let it happen again. I've fallen behind on my other fanfics as well, and also my website. I hope I haven't lost any readers with the long wait, and on a future note, if it does take me awhile to post, don't worry, I'm still working on it, I've just got a lot on plate. I have no intention on giving up on one of my most popular stories to date. _

So, next up is a look into what FFVII has been doing. They'll be reaching their climax soon, and everything is going to start coming together…possibly in the next couple of chapters. Just be patient. 

Until next time…happy reading! 

~ Aynslesa Morro Wolf


	38. Close Call

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: Close Call**

Cloud ran down the hallway, pulling Tifa along with him as she and Yuffie followed with the babies. Vincent and Catherine brought up the rear, both of them moving backwards as they attempted to slow the creature down with bullets and bolts. "Shit, there's no stopping it!" Catherine exclaimed. "And it's getting faster!" 

Suddenly the ship tilted, and Vincent stumbled, slamming into Catherine and sending the two of them sprawling. Cloud grabbed one of the door handles, and Tifa caught him around the waist, clutching Seifer tightly. The little boy whimpered, clinging to her as he buried his face into her shoulder. Yuffie barely managed to catch herself on another door handle as the ship tilted dangerously. 

"What the…?!" she exclaimed. Then her eyes widened as she felt the floor literally drop…and the rest of the ship along with it. "Gawd, we're crashing!" 

"They must be on the bridge!" Cloud exclaimed. "K'so!" 

"What do we do?!" Catherine gasped, then let out a yelped as Vincent suddenly moved, pressing her against the wall. "What are you…?!" 

The creature went tumbling down the now slanted floor, zooming past them. 

"I figured you didn't want to go with it," Vincent said dryly. 

"Enough with the chatter!" Yuffie snapped, clinging to Quistis and the handle. "Do something! We're CRASHING!" 

"We're aware of that," Cloud said, oddly calm. Hooking his arm through the handle and slamming his feet against the wall, he raised one hand to his face and closed his eyes, muttering something to himself. When he opened his eyes, they were glowing a little more than natural. "_Slow._" 

They all held their breath as the ship seemed to shudder slightly…and then the descent slowed. The Highwind straightened out a bit, enough that they could regain their footing. 

"I bought us some time," Cloud said, his arm going around Tifa's waist. "Let's get to the bridge before the spell wears off." 

"How'd you manage to get that spell to affect the airship and not the rest of us?" Yuffie asked, amazed. 

"Practice," Cloud replied. "How's Quistis?" 

"Quiet," Yuffie replied. "This kid takes panic well."

"You mean she doesn't panic as easily as you," Vincent said, helping Catherine to her feet. "Come on. We should get moving." 

Cloud nodded, leading the way through the hallway towards the bridge, keeping an eye out for any more unpleasant visitors. 

Cautiously, the group turned a corner…and came face to face with a very large gatling gun being pointed at them.  

"Whoa, Barrett, it's us!" Cloud said, raising his hands. "Put the gun down." 

Barrett lowered his arm, eyes narrowed, then returning to their normal shape as he relaxed. "Damn, Cloud, you need to be a little more careful sneaking around. We heard so many footsteps, we figured another one of those things was back." 

"We?" Cloud looked over Barrett's shoulder to see Reno, who was looking around apprehensively. "No, it's just us. You two okay?" 

"More than a little scratched up, but otherwise fine – aside from the fact that the ship is apparently crashing," Barrett said. "Slowly, but still crashing." 

Cloud nodded. "I cast a _Slow_ on it…we're hoping it'll buy us enough time to figure out what happened."

"We better get to the bridge," Reno replied. "We've been hearing nothing but fighting from over there – then we didn't. But one of the creatures that Barrett and I were fighting landed right outside the bridge door when Barrett shot it." 

Vincent and Cloud glanced at each other. Then Cloud turned to Tifa, Yuffie, and Catherine. "You three stay here with the kids," he said. "We'll go see what the situation is, and then come back." 

"Wait. So the guys get to go, while the girls get to stay?" Yuffie looked indignant. "Hell-_o!_ Who was it that helped save the world from Jenova? Not Reno! Why does he get to go?" 

Reno narrowed his eyes at her, ready to snap at the young ninja girl, before Vincent held up his hand. "Because you and Tifa are both carrying the babies, and Catherine's spells are mainly defensive," he replied calmly. "Now, are you going to keep arguing, or can we continue and possibly try to stop this ship from crashing, which you seem to be so against?" 

Yuffie blinked at him, stunned by Vincent's monologue. Then she snorted and held Quistis protectively. "You know, you've gotten real annoying since you learned to talk, Valentine," she muttered, leaning against the wall. 

"Be careful," Tifa said to Cloud. 

Cloud nodded, then stepped forward to kiss her forehead. He did the same to Quistis, before turning and following Barrett and Reno back the way the other two had come from, towards the bridge. 

Vincent looked at Catherine. 

"Don't worry," Catherine said, cocking a bolt into her crossbow. "If we need your help, you'll hear us screaming. Now move." 

He nodded, turning and hurrying after the others. 

Yuffie sighed. "I hate waiting around," she complained. "We don't know where those things are right now. They could be _anywhere!_ They could be right around the corner, just waiting to pounce on us and do…whatever they're trying to do to us." 

"Kill us, I imagine," Tifa said. "And shut up. You're scaring the children." 

Yuffie blinked, and looked down at Quistis, who was staring at her with wide, violet eyes, her fingers in her mouth as she nibbled on them nervously. Seifer had his face buried in Tifa's shoulder, and he was whimpering slightly. 

Catherine and Tifa were both glaring at Yuffie. 

Yuffie ducked her head, looking sheepish. "Sorry," she said softly. 

"Relax," Catherine said, looking at her. "It isn't that bad, having to wait for the guys here. I imagine they're probably going to have a tougher time than we are." 

"Yeah…maybe," Yuffie murmured. "I still don't like just waiting around. I feel like we should be doing…something." 

"Shhh." Tifa suddenly lifted her head and turned, looking down the hallway that they'd just come from. "Did you hear anything?" 

"Oh, don't do that, Tifa," Yuffie said, her eyes widening a little. 

"I didn't hear anything," Catherine said, turning and tensing. "What was it?" 

"Something…like something pounding," Tifa replied. "Further down…it was faint. I don't know…maybe I didn't hear it." 

"Or maybe you did," Catherine said softly. "You two stay here. I'm going to go check and make sure everything's okay…yell if there's trouble." 

Tifa nodded, stroking Seifer's hair. The little boy seemed to have accepted her in the stead of his own mother for the time being, but he was still trembling slightly in her arms. "Be careful." 

Catherine nodded slightly, her grip on the crossbow tightening as she headed down the hallway. 

Tifa and Yuffie glanced at each other uncertainly. Catherine was the only one of them currently armed…neither of them had grabbed weapons, opting instead to grab the babies on their rush to escape the creatures when they attacked. So they were more than a little unsure about being left to their own devices.

"It's probably nothing," Yuffie said, trying to look convinced. 

"Yeah," Tifa said softly. "Probably…" 

*****

"When you said this thing was blocking the door, I didn't know you meant it was _as big_ as the door, too," Cloud said, staring at the still form of the dead creature lying across the path to the bridge. "How are we supposed to move that?" 

"I told you," Barrett said. "We're either going to have to be really strong, or find a different way. I don't really want to get too close to that thing…it's hard to tell for sure whether or not it's really dead." 

Cloud nodded slightly, then cupped his hands over his mouth. "CID!" he shouted at the door. "YOU IN THERE?" 

There was no answer. 

"Who else was in there with him?" Vincent asked quietly. 

"I don't know if anyone was," Cloud replied. 

"Sephiroth and Aeris," Reno replied. "I could hear them while Barrett and I were trying to get to the bridge." 

Cloud felt sick to his stomach. If anything had happened…it was bad enough thinking that Cid was hurt, but Aeris, too? And Sephiroth? He was even worried about the silver-haired swordsman. No one deserved what those things seemed capable of giving out. 

"Any ideas?" he asked quietly. 

"What if we tried going through the deck?" Vincent suggested. "Go up to the deck through the main exit, then make our way to the bridge. There's an emergency door." 

"Yeah, off the deck," Barrett replied. "You'd have to be an acrobat or something to get to it without plunging to your doom." 

Cloud and Vincent looked at each other. "You up for it?" Cloud asked the dark-haired man.

Vincent nodded. "I'll give it my best shot." 

"Okay, then. To the deck." Cloud turned to head for the stairs, Vincent following silently behind him. 

Reno and Barrett looked at each other, shrugged, and followed. 

The door to the deck was hanging wide open, and as they stepped out onto it, Vincent instinctively pulled out his gun and peered out into the darkness. "Anything?" Cloud asked. 

"Nothing," Vincent replied, stepping out onto the deck, the others following behind. "There isn't a sound…there's nothing on the deck." 

Barrett shivered slightly as he looked around the deserted deck of Highwind. "Damn, when did it go so cold?" 

"It's the middle of the night, and none of us are exactly dressed in our normal clothing," Cloud replied, referring to the fact that they'd all been snapped out of bed without warning. "I think we can deal with a little bit of cold. Come on. The door is this way." He stared towards the bridge of the ship. 

Reno fingered his Lightning Rod, peering over the railing apprehensively. His eyes widened slightly. "Whoa…hey, everyone, look at this." 

"What?" Cloud, Vincent, and Barrett came over to the railing, and looked over the edge of it. 

The ground was visible, looking much like a patchwork quilt that was slowly getting larger and larger, though at a less than alarming rate. It was the first evidence they had that the Highwind was being supported only by Cloud's _Slow_, and that at any moment, the spell could fade and they could all go plummeting.

It was an unnerving feeling. 

"Let's get to the door," Vincent murmured, stepping away from the railing. The others nodded, and followed. 

The emergency door was positioned in the side of the bridge, about four feet from the deck railing. There was a handle poking out of it that was used to open it, but other than that, there was nothing else to hold onto. Clearly, the door had not been created with the intention of anyone trying to access it from the outside while in the air. 

A soft breeze washed over the deck, and the four of them looked at the door apprehensively. "Can anyone see in the window from here?" Reno asked. 

Barrett shook his head. "I can barely see a damned thing." 

Vincent slid the Death Penalty into his holster, and grabbed the railing, pulling himself up onto it so that he was balanced easily on the railing. The wind whipped through his hair, throwing it into his face as he straightened up out of his crouch and turned his eyes on the handle of the emergency door. 

"You good?" Cloud asked, standing near the railing next to him. 

Vincent looked at him, and managed a slight smile. "I wish I had a hair tie," he said. Then he turned away, looked at the handle, and leaped forward. 

Reno, Barrett, and Cloud held their breath as Vincent reached for the handle of the door. Too late, Cloud realized the one flaw in the idea…the Highwind was still moving, making it harder to meet the target. Drawing in a sharp breath as Vincent's fingers grazed the handle, and then let go, he gripped the railing tightly, his knuckles turning white…

…and then Vincent twisted in mid-air, slammed the claws of his false arm into the side of the ship, and grabbed the handle with his other hand easily, balancing precariously. 

"Are you okay?" Cloud called. 

"Good," Vincent grunted as he pulled himself up, balancing himself as he put his weight against the handle. "I can't quite get it to open…it must be locked from the inside. I can see the window from here, though…I'm going to get closer…" Resting his foot on the handle and supporting himself with his claw, he reached over tentatively and grasped the very edge of the window. Then, with a soft grunt, he pulled himself over, out of sight of the others, perching precariously on the narrow ledge underneath the window. 

Vincent moved to press his hand against the glass while he gripped the side of the ship with his claw…and almost immediately pitched forward as he realized, too late, that there was no glass in the window frame. His knee hit the metal sill hard, echoing in the bridge. 

"Vincent?!" Cloud called from behind him. 

"I'm okay," Vincent said tightly, gritting his teeth against the sharp pain in his knee. The bridge was pitch black, the only light coming from the outside, and from his position in the very corner of the window he couldn't see inside completely. 

Now steady on the windowsill, Vincent leaned against the side of the frame and pulled himself into a standing position. He winced as the palm of his flesh hand sliced against a shard of broken glass, but he pushed the pain away for now, taking a cautious step off the sill and into the darkened bridge. His foot hit something thin, and the object immediately snapped. 

"What…?" Vincent looked down, and suddenly his night vision clicked on. _Thank you, Chaos_, he thought absently. There were times when the demon's attributes did come in handy. Now that he could see in the dark, he could make out what he had stepped on. 

It was one of the creature's thin, stick-like legs. The entire creature was splayed out in front of the window, very much dead, and Vincent had stepped on it in his attempt to get into the room. Hurriedly he stepped away from the creature, suppressing a shudder, and turned to look into the entire room. 

Instantly he saw the reason the ship had begun its deadly decent. One of the legs of another creature was embedded into the control panel, and it wouldn't be going anywhere, as the creature was obviously dead. Cid's Venus Gospel stuck out of its chest area, revealing precisely how it had died. 

_At least they _can_ die_, Vincent thought. "Cid?" he called, seeing no sign of the loud-mouthed pilot aside from his abandoned weapon. "Sephiroth? Aeris? Anyone?" So far, those three, as well as Red and Savannah, were all missing. 

There was a bang on the side of the ship, and Vincent spun around, pulling out the Death Penalty and pointing it…straight at Cloud's forehead. 

"Whoa!" Cloud said, raising his hands. "It's just me, Vincent." 

Vincent lowered the gun. "Don't sneak up on me like that," he said, turning his back on the mercenary to take a few steps further into the room. "All of the creatures in here are dead – but I don't see any of the others." 

Cloud pulled out a flashlight – the main reason it had taken him so long to go after Vincent – and turned it on, stepping down and crunching the creature's leg just as Vincent had. "I don't want to know what that was," he muttered as he moved the light around the room, illuminating the corners. 

"Don't worry, it's dead anyway," Vincent replied, following the light from the flashlight. "Cloud, stop. Go back to the corner." 

Cloud did so…and the light once again glinted off the piece of metal that Vincent had caught a glimpse of the first time around. Gripping Death Penalty in his hand, he moved forward, jumping over another creature leg and darting to the console that the metal was lying behind. 

"What is it?" Cloud asked, moving closer with the flashlight. 

Vincent tentatively took the handle, and stood up, lifting the sword that was almost as long as he was tall. "It's Sephiroth's Masamune," he replied. "No Sephiroth, though." 

Cloud's blue eyes widened, and he stopped next to Vincent, touching the flat of the sword tentatively. "He never goes anywhere without his sword," he said. "Even when he was completely insane and thought he was a god, this sword was right by his side." He looked around the bridge. "Cid's weapon…the Masamune…but I don't see either of them, Vincent. And there's no sign of Aeris, or Red and Savannah…" 

"We know Aeris was in here with Cid and Sephiroth," Vincent replied. "As for Red and Savannah, they could have been in another part of the ship, and just haven't gotten to us yet." 

Or they could be dead…the thought seemed to hang between the two of them, but neither of them dared to give voice to their thoughts. 

"But where _are_ they?" Cloud whispered, a chill going down his spine. "Even if they were…you know…wouldn't there be bodies…? They wouldn't just disappear…" 

Vincent looked around, looking at the two dead creatures lying on the ground, one near the window and the other hanging out of the control console. He frowned slightly. "Why would Sephiroth have dropped his sword over here…across the bridge…if the creatures were over on the other end? Obviously Cid killed the one near the console, but Sephiroth would have had to kill the one near the window…but then how did his sword get over here?" 

Cloud looked puzzled, his mind working to put the pieces together. "The glass was broken from the outside in…before the ship began to plummet, the second creature broke through the glass to get inside the bridge. The first one was near Cid, near the console, and it destroyed the console probably in an attempt to get Cid…Cid managed to kill it with his weapon." He stepped away from Vincent and moved the flashlight in a line from the second creature to where they were standing. "Sephiroth was standing _here_, with Masamune…" He walked over to the second creature, and knelt down. "This thing died where it stood. Probably a spell." 

"Spells have proven inactive thus far against them," Vincent said. 

"_Our_ spells have…but Sephiroth's part Cetra, don't forget. So's Aeris. They know a different caliber of magic than we do," Cloud said. 

Cloud had a good point, Vincent realized, and he nodded. "So this creature died by a spell from either Sephiroth or Aeris." 

"Right." Cloud looked around. "Sephiroth must have had a reason for standing over on that side of the room with his sword drawn. Sephiroth can take down a Midgar Serpent without an eye – he would have had no trouble using his sword on this creature. So he had a reason for using a spell…"

"Protecting Aeris." 

Cloud blinked and looked at Vincent, watching as the older man knelt down and picked something up that had been partly wedged under the console they'd found the sword by. He held it up, and Cloud recognized it instantly. It was the pink ribbon that Aeris wore in her hair. 

"Where…?" 

"Under the console," Vincent replied. "It was wedged there…it probably got caught when she was leaning against it or something, and came loose when she moved. My guess is, Sephiroth didn't go after that creature with his sword because he was too busy defending Aeris from another." 

"A third creature?" Cloud asked, feeling sick as realization hit him. "There are only two corpses…" 

Vincent nodded. "The third creature escaped…" he murmured, looking around. "But to where?" 

"If we find that creature, maybe we'll find Aeris, Cid, and Sephiroth," Cloud said, making his way back to Vincent. 

Vincent looked around, taking in the quiet, sealed bridge. "The bridge was sealed, though, with the creature that Barrett and Reno took out in the way of the door," he said. "The only way out…" His eyes fell on the broken window that he and Cloud had entered through. 

Cloud felt his stomach clench as he put two and two together. "Those things weren't sent to kill us," he said. "They were sent to _capture_ us."

Vincent nodded slightly, looking weary. "Then the Sorceress has them," he said quietly. He headed back to the window. 

"Where are you going?" Cloud demanded.

"Back to Barrett and Reno," Vincent replied, putting his hand on the side of the window to help hoist himself back onto the ledge. "We need to figure out what to do next, and the Highwind isn't going to stay under your spell forever…" 

Vincent's words were suddenly drowned out as the sound of helicopter blades cut through the silent air. Surprised, both he and Cloud turned to look out the window as the helicopter belonged to the sound rose up next to the Highwind as close as it could without slamming into the side of the ship, the side door open so that Cloud and Vincent could jump in.  

"There you two are," Reeve said, standing in the doorway. "Come on. We've got a lot we need to discuss." He hit a button, and a metal ledge began to slid out from the helicopter door to the window of the airship. 

Cloud and Vincent looked at each other, then nodded. As Vincent moved to make his way over to the helicopter, Sephiroth's sword gripped in his hand, Cloud stepped forward, then hesitated. At the last minute he turned and yanked the Venus Gospel out of the dead creature it was embedded in, then hurried to the helicopter as well. 

When Cloud and Vincent were safely on the ship, they were both relieved to see the others already safely in seats. Rude and Elena were there as well, having accompanied Reeve. 

"How did you know where to find us?" Cloud demanded, looking Reeve in confusion. 

"While you were all dodging those creatures, Red thought to get to the nearest communications link and put a call through to Neo-Shinra," Reeve replied. "We came as soon as we could." 

"How did the rest of you already get on the helicopter?" Cloud looked at the others. 

"Tifa heard the helicopter coming on the other side of the airship, but we didn't know what it was, so Catherine went to check it out," Yuffie said, holding Quistis on her lap. 

"They heard us picking up Red and Savannah," Reeve explained. "After Catherine went back and got the girls, we swung around and got Barrett and Reno on the deck, then you and Vincent in the bridge." 

Vincent moved to sit next to Catherine, as Cloud took a seat next to Tifa and Reeve resumed his next between Reno and Elena. "Good thinking," he said to Red and Savannah, who were curled up on the floor to make room. 

Red opened his mouth to respond…when the helicopter shuddered slightly. They all tensed, but there was no need…the shudder had merely come from the Highwind, which was still only a few feet from the helicopter. 

Reeve's eyes widened. "Pull away!" he commanded the pilot through a speaker to the copter's cockpit. As the helicopter immediately began to respond, the Highwind gave another shudder…and then plummeted out of the sky as the spell holding it up vanished. 

Everyone was quiet as they watched the Highwind hit the ground below. "That was close," Reno muttered. 

"Cid's going to hate that," Tifa murmured. Then she frowned, and looked at Cloud. "Did you find out what happened in the bridge?" 

Cloud and Vincent exchanged pained looks. Then Cloud sighed. "Yeah," he said. "Linra has them."  

*****

"Where the hell are we? And why the fuck does my head hurt so much?!" Cid sat up and rubbed his head, wincing as he looked around. He was completely surrounded by metal bars, ringing around him in a circle. Through the bars, he could see Sephiroth on one side, and Aeris on the other. Aeris was still out cold, but Sephiroth was standing up, looking around the room. 

"We're hanging from the ceiling in cages," Sephiroth replied darkly. "The last time I was in one of these, Linra decided to brainwash me." 

Cid's eyes went huge. "We've been captured by the Sorceress?!" 

"I think that's safe to say," Sephiroth said. "Is Aeris on the other side of you? I can't see her from here." 

Cid looked over just to make sure, and nodded. "Yeah. She's there. Unconscious, but she's there." He staggered to his feet, wincing as a wave of dizziness shot through him. "Where's my weapon?" 

"Neither of us are armed," Sephiroth said. "My sword and your harpoon are still on the Highwind. How are you injuries?" 

Cid looked down at himself, and was surprised to find that all of the injuries he'd sustained were gone. Sephiroth, too, looked completely healed, and when Cid moved over to the side of the cage to see Aeris, it appeared that her injuries were gone as well. "Somehow I doubt that Linra person healed us," Cid said. 

"It was probably Aeris," Sephiroth said. "Her Limit Break…which may be why she's still out cold." 

"Well, while we're waiting for her to wake up, we better find a way out of these things," Cid said, putting his hands on his hips and looking around. "I don't see doors…" 

"She's a Sorceress…she doesn't need doors when she has magic," Sephiroth replied. "I was awake for almost half an hour before you. I couldn't find any way out then." 

"So you're saying we're completely trapped?" Cid growled. "Like hell! I'm not gonna hang around this place like a parakeet in Linra's demented birdcage! I want out!" 

"And if you don't shut up about wanting out," Sephiroth hissed, green eyes flashing, "Linra is going to hear us!" 

"She probably already fucking hears us," Cid muttered, scowling. "Hey, you're supposed to be Cetra, aren't you? Can't you just magic us out of here or something?" 

"If I could, don't you think I would've already?" Sephiroth gave him a withering look. 

"Could you two please stop arguing?" Aeris' voice was barely more than a whisper, but they both heard her, and immediately quieted as they turned to look at her. 

"Aeris?" Sephiroth moved to the side of his cage, trying to get a good look at her. "Are you okay?" 

"Aside from being really tired, I'm fine," Aeris said, sitting up. "What about both of you?"

"We're fine," Cid said. "Trapped in swinging cages, but fine." 

"The others…?" Aeris looked at Cid, since she couldn't see Sephiroth from the angle the cages were at. 

"Not here," Sephiroth replied. "It looks like we're the only ones that creature brought back." 

"I thought for sure I was gonna die when that thing came after me," Cid muttered. "I thought Linra wanted us dead, anyway. Why would she keep us alive, much less capture us? What reason?" 

A bright light suddenly appeared, hovering in front of the cages. All three of them stiffened, staring at it as an image appeared in the center of the floating orb. 

Sephiroth cringed at the face that appeared. "Linra," he said, his voice tight with anger. 

Linra looked at them, blood-red lips curled into a smile against a pale face, dark eyes cold as they looked at them from underneath her large headdress, black hair streaming over her shoulders. "Surprise," she said mockingly. "Welcome to your new home." 

"What the hell are you planning, bitch?" Cid growled, grabbing the bars of the cage. "Why did you capture us?" 

Linra raised one finely-sculpted eyebrow, looking at Cid, then at Sephiroth, and then Aeris. "You mean you haven't figured that out?" she asked, her voice a smug purr. "Surely Sephiroth may have thought of it. My Knight knows that nothing occurs in my lair that I do not know about." 

Sephiroth looked at her, cringing at the title she gave him. "What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded. 

Linra sighed. "I suppose I've given you too much credit," she said.

"Please," Aeris said, standing up and looking at Linra pleadingly. "What do you want from us?" 

"I want nothing from you," Linra said, looking at her coldly. "You're only alive for one purpose. Bait." 

Cid stared at her incredulously. "Bait? For what? The others?" 

"Not the others," Linra replied, looking smug. Her eyes went to Sephiroth. "For the future." 

*****

Author's Note: ::winces:: I really intended on getting this chapter out sooner…I apologize profusely for the long wait! College caught up with me, and I was suddenly swamped with homework and tests, as well as work, that I didn't have much time to do _any_ writing. I finally managed to find the time to sit down and churn out this chapter, and since I attempted to do the majority of it in one sitting, I have the sinking suspicion that it may not be as good as some of my previous chapters. The main purpose of this chapter was to set the stage for the next chapter, which will feature FFVIII – yes, the events of the FFVII timeline will now begin to influence FFVIII directly. _Revelations_ is getting closer and closer to time compression. 

But we've still got a ways to go. I hope that you all will stick with me for as long as it takes me to get to the end of this monstrosity, and with only three weeks left to go in the semester, I'll soon be in summer vacation and with much, much more time to write. Thank you, everyone, for staying with me as long as you have – I really appreciate it. 

So, with that, I'll see you in the next chapter, where we'll jump back to FFVIII and see what's been going on with them. Until then, happy reading! And please, please, please let me know what you think in reviews!


	39. Manipulations Through Time

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Manipulations Through Time**

"Kiros!" 

Kiros looked up in time to see Irvine sprinting down the path from the forest to the camp, his auburn ponytail flying behind him. "What's wrong?" Kiros asked, frowning. 

"Trouble," Irvine replied, stopping in front of him and bending over slightly to catch his breath. "Found the Canyon…so did Linra. There's this fucking huge swarm of _something_ headed right in that direction. We've gotta move, and now." 

Kiros' eyes widened. "Are you sure?" 

Irvine nodded. "Look, just get everyone together, and head north. You'll probably see the fiends as you get closer. I'm going to go on ahead – there's no time to waste!" 

Kiros blinked, looking at him. "How are you going to go on ahead?" he asked. "Most of our transport vehicles were trashed in that storm…what are you going to do, hike?" 

"Not quite," Irvine said. Then he turned and lifted his fingers to his lips, staring in the opposite direction. A second later, he let loose with a high-pitched, slightly haunting whistle that made Kiros wince slightly. 

For a moment, nothing happened. Then came an answering whistle, and a moment later, a distant cry. 

"Kweh!" 

Kiros' eyes widened as a large, yellow bird came running over the nearest hill, then came to a stop shortly in front of Irvine. His jaw dropped. "A chocobo?" 

Irvine nodded. "There's a Chocobo Forest not far from here," he said. "We discovered it last year." 

"But how did you know how to call one?" Kiros asked. "I thought you had to actually go to a Chocobo Forest." 

Irvine shrugged, walking over to the chocobo and grabbing the pair of reins around its head. "The family that adopted me runs one of the few remaining chocobo ranches," he said. "I learned how to call them when I was younger." 

"You can ride one-armed?" Kiros asked, watching as Irvine mounted the chocobo, holding both reins firmly in one hand. 

"Kiros, I could do back flips on a chocobo blindfolded if I really wanted to," Irvine said dryly. "Now stop asking questions and get everyone going!" Clicking his tongue, he snapped the reins, and the chocobo took off at top speed, leaving Kiros behind. 

"I hope you can go face, big guy, because we can't afford to lose time here," Irvine said softly, speaking to the chocobo. "My friends are counting on your speed." 

"Kweh-eh!" the chocobo replied, and doubled his speed almost immediately. Irvine crouched forward, making the wind resistance lower so that the chocobo could have an easier time running. They took a shortcut through the forest, but the moment they hit the Cetra Plains, it was going to be a straight run, and they'd be in direct sight of the swarm approaching Cosmo Canyon. 

They weren't going to beat the swarm there, Irvine knew, but he had every intention of coming as damn close as possible. 

_Hang on, minna_, he thought. _Back-up's on his way. _

*****

"Move it, outta the way, coming through, get inside!" Zell barked orders at the various Guardians who were running around as he, Quistis, Seifer, and Rinoa pushed their way through the crowd towards where Savannah was standing at the entrance to Cosmo Canyon. 

"Damn, there're more Guardians around here than I thought," Seifer muttered as he followed behind Zell. He looked over at Quistis and Rinoa. "I've got a bad feeling about all of this. All it would take is one shot at the main dwelling, and the Guardians would be crushed." 

"Don't be so sure," Savannah said. By that time, they'd reached her, and she'd overheard Seifer's comment. "There's more to our stronghold than meets the eye. There's a secret passage that leads to a series of winding caves, carved deep inside the mountain range. Long ago, the Guardians' deadly enemies, the Gi, lived in the caves, but we have long since reclaimed them for our own." 

"And that's where everyone is headed?" Quistis asked. 

Savannah nodded. "Those of us trained for combat will remain here to meet our enemies, but the cubs and those in charge of them will enter the Caves of the Gi." 

Rinoa bit her lip and looked around at the assembled Guardians. "Still…there are a lot here who are risking their lives." 

Savannah sighed. "A Guardian is sworn to protect," she said softly. "We have all pledged ourselves to protect our home. This is our duty." 

"Jou-sama!" Rhys' voice suddenly rang out. "Fiends, above!" 

As one, everyone's attention turned to the sky, as the clouds seemed to part and swarm of fiends swooped down, intent on Cosmo Canyon as their target. 

"Attack stations!" Savannah shouted. 

"Damn," Zell whispered, seeing the huge swarm descend. "Minna? This could be trouble if they get too close." 

"Then we'll just have to make sure they don't," Seifer replied, unsheathing his gun blade. "Let's try a little fire, ne?" He raised his hand. "_Firaga!_" 

A huge fireball shot out of his hand, slamming into the nearest fiend. The fiend screaming loudly, disintegrating into a pile of dust that blew away in the wind. 

"Well, they aren't magic-resistant!" Seifer called. 

"But how many times can you keep that up?" Quistis shouted back as she cast, in quick succession, three Watergas, taking out three of the fiends – and barely making a dent. 

All around them, Guardians were casting whatever magic they had, some the familiar Draw magic that the four were used to seeing, others magic that they'd never imagined. But Zell realized with sinking dread that more fiends were making it through than were being destroyed. 

"Savannah!" he said, moving to stand next to her. "These one-shot attacks aren't doing a damn thing! There're too many of them! We need to hit them with multi-attacks!" 

"Most Guardians aren't capable of them," Savannah said, pausing for a moment to cast a Blizzaga. "If you and your friends have any ideas, feel free to use them." 

"Most Guardians aren't capable…shit," Zell growled. He looked up at the swarm, his eyes narrowed. "Well, then, in that case…" 

Savannah's eyes widened as an unbelievable amount of energy began to surround Zell as he brought his hands together in front of him and closed his eyes in concentration. 

Quistis' eyes widened. "Get back!" she called to anyone who could hear her. "Back away from him!" Seifer grabbed Rinoa's arm, interrupting her in mid-cast, and hauled her out of the way as those nearby heard the urgency in Quistis' voice and did the same. 

"What's going on?" Savannah asked as she backpedaled – not an easy feat for someone on four legs, but she managed. 

"_Tidal Wave!_" Zell suddenly shouted. A huge sheet of rock seemed to shoot out of the ground, streams of water running sound it until it formed the shape of a huge sea serpent. The serpent turned to look at the swarm, and opened its mouth, hissing loudly as a huge tidal wave rose up out of nowhere behind it, slamming into the swarm with the force of a thousand Watergas. 

As a fourth of the swarm disintegrated into nothing, Leviathan seemed to fade away, and Zell doubled over slightly, panting a little from the exertion. "I haven't done that in a while," he said, wincing at the depletion in his magic power that occurred. "And I boosted him, too." 

"Warn us next time you do that!" Seifer shouted. 

Zell looked at him irritably. "Oh, yeah, I'll do that. I'll take the time to inform you of my plan while you're being attacked by a fucking huge amount of fiends," he growled. 

Rinoa was looking up at the swarm, watching as they seemed to hang in the air for a moment. It looked almost as if they were surprised at the sudden loss of their fellow fiends. They hovered there for a moment. 

"Attack while they're stunned!" Rinoa heard Rhys cry from somewhere behind her. 

Rinoa's eyes widened slightly as the fiends began to move almost at that instant, drawing closer and closer together, as if they were turning into one massive creature. 

A massive, familiar-looking sea serpent. 

"DON'T ATTACK!" Rinoa suddenly screamed, realizing with sudden dread what was happening. No one else seemed to realize the danger that they were in. She ran forward, her heart pounding in her chest as she called her power to her, trying to draw it together to form a massive protection barrier. 

Quistis looked at her, surprised. "Rinoa?" she asked. "What's wrong?" 

"_Look up!_" Rinoa cried. Everyone was so focused on the few members of the swarm that were within attacking distance, no one seemed to realize what the main swarm was doing. "_Don't attack with GFs!_" 

"Wha...?" Zell looked at her, then looked up at the swarm…

As the mock Leviathan opened its mouth, and released a huge tidal wave exactly like the one Zell had cast. 

"_Ruby Light!_" 

A huge reflection spell shot up, surrounding all of them just before the tidal wave hit. The Reflect spells died almost immediately, but they were protected from the majority of the attack. All of the Guardians and humans stared up at the swarm in shock as the tidal wave attack shot back at the swarm. Before they could return to individual fiends, the attack slammed into them, causing the remaining grouped fiends to disintegrate into nothing. 

Zell's jaw dropped. "Who…?" He turned to look over his shoulder, just in time to see Irvine come galloping up on a large chocobo. 

The Galbadian held the reins in one hand as he expertly guided the large bird to a stop in front of his friends, his other arm held against his chest. His hat was off his head, held in place only by a thin string around his neck, indicating just how fast he'd been riding. 

"Zell?" Irvine exclaimed, his eyes wide as he dismounted. "Quistis, Seifer, Rinoa! You're alive!" 

"No shit," Seifer said sarcastically. "Why wouldn't we be?" 

"Well, most people assumed you died when the City of the Ancients went up in smoke," Irvine replied, looping the reins back over the chocobo's neck and pulling his hat back into place. "For the record, I'm not one of the ones who thought so. Neither is the Headmaster. That's kinda why I'm here – he sent me to find Cosmo Canyon so that I could find out what the hell happened to you four." 

"Is Squall here?" Rinoa asked hopefully. 

Irvine shook his head. "He, Selphie, and Tera took off in the Ragnarok towards the pillar of light to check it out." 

"And you didn't go with why…?" Quistis asked. 

Irvine pointed to his arm. "Busted my shoulder and arm in the aftershock from the explosion. Cid took me off the combat roster. Sealed up all of my magic and took all my GFs away and traded them with Selphie for Carbuncle to give me something to defend myself with." He scowled. "I've only got a 35% compatibility with Carbuncle – you have no idea how relieved I was that the Reflect spell got cast before those things let go." 

"Very good timing with Reflect, though." They all looked to see Savannah walk up to them. 

Irvine blinked, his jaw dropping at the familiar voice. "No way. Savannah? You look like a lion." 

Savannah sweatdropped slightly. "This is my natural form, Irvine," she replied. "The human form is just what we use to get by in society without having to be obvious about what we are." 

"Oh." Irvine looked at Zell sideways. "Does this mean that you can turn into a lion, too?" 

Zell scowled at him, and Irvine took a step back, holding up his good hand. "Whoa, okay. Didn't mean to offend you or something, man." 

Savannah looked at Zell for a moment, and sighed softly, shaking her head a little. "At any rate, Irvine, your appearance most likely saved the lives of everyone here. For that, we owe you our deepest thanks." 

"Aw, shucks," Irvine said, rubbing the back of his neck. "It was just luck." 

"Luck that saved many lives," Savannah replied. She looked at him, then at Seifer, Quistis, and Rinoa. "All of you helped…and thus, I think it only right that I proclaim you all honorary Guardians. You and your following generations will always be welcome within Cosmo Canyon." 

"Jou-sama!" 

Everyone looked up, eyes wide at the snappish tone as Rhys leaped from a higher ledge and landed nimbly in front of Savannah, his tail twitching irritably. 

"Yes, Rhys?" Savannah asked. 

"You can't just proclaim they honorary Guardians like that!" Rhys exclaimed. "That is not a title that should be thrown around and granted to just anyone! The young man with the Reflect spell I can understand, but the other four – it's too hasty!" 

"Three, Rhys," Savannah replied softly. Her gaze was firm upon Rhys'. "You forget once again that Zellphirus is my son, and my heir, and a full Guardian." 

Rhys didn't say anything to that, and Zell narrowed his eyes. It was pretty clear to him that Rhys _hadn't_ forgotten – he'd merely chosen to ignore that bit of information. 

"Still," Rhys said, shaking his mane out. "The other three – they hardly did anything. Certainly nothing noteworthy enough to be named honorary Guardians. I object to this declaration, Jou-sama." 

"And does anyone else object?" Savannah asked, her voice quiet. 

For a moment there was silence. Then another Guardian stepped forward, looking hesitant. "I have to agree with Rhys, Jou-sama…I don't see the reason…" 

A few other Guardians were nodding slightly, as if they, too, were a bit perplexed. 

"I think someone needs to explain this honorary Guardian thing," Irvine said suddenly. "It sounds like it's a pretty important thing…" 

"Honorary Guardianship is a very serious thing," a large, black and red Guardian said. Zell realized that it was Tevrow. "Only the Clan Ruler can name someone an honorary Guardian," he continued. "To do so grants the holder of the title certain powers that, when he or she dies, will allow them to be reborn as a Guardian to the clan that they were sworn to." He looked at Zell. "Since we take our duties as Guardians very seriously, to allow one who is not a Guardian to be brought into our way of life is a serious matter. A Clan Ruler can name anyone an honorary Guardian, but the magic only takes effect if they are accepted fully by the entire Clan." 

Irvine looked troubled. "If it's something that serious, I don't know if I feel comfortable accepting something like that…" 

"There are no objections towards _you_," Rhys said, looking at Irvine. "Jou-sama is right – you saved us all. It is the other three…" 

"All of whom have shown great courage in the past," Savannah countered. 

"Not considering this clan," Rhys retorted. "I will not endorse this, Jou-sama. Forgive me." 

Seifer narrowed his eyes at Rhys, frowning slightly. Then he suddenly pushed Quistis to the side and reached out, grabbing Rhys' tail and yanking it sharply. 

A shocked gasp went up from the crowd, and even Zell yelped, "What are you doing?!" 

"HEY!" Rhys roared, spinning around and lunging at Seifer. "Impertinent human! How dare you?!" 

His teeth never made contact with Seifer's arm, however, because Seifer suddenly at the blade of Hyperion pressed against Rhys' neck. "You're the traitor, aren't' you?" Seifer asked, his voice deadly. 

Rhys' eyes widened. "What? Traitor? How dare you…!" 

"That's why you're so opposed to all of this," Seifer said. "What did Linra promise you in exchange for your cooperation? Money? Power?" Seifer looked at the Guardian silently, then nodded slightly. "She promised you the run of Cosmo Canyon, didn't she?" 

"Seifer…" Savannah said, stepping forward. "I don't know where you're getting this, but Rhys would never…" 

"You're blinded by the fact that he's a Guardian, Savannah," Seifer said sharply, his eyes never leaving Rhys. "I know the signs of someone who's made a deal with a Sorceress. I would think I know them better than anyone." 

Rhys didn't say anything, instead just glaring at Seifer. 

Zell looked at Rhys, frowning. Then he shook his head slowly. "No, Seifer…Linra didn't promise him the run of Cosmo Canyon. Even if she had the ability to make it happen, Rhys wouldn't have a clan to control. The clan's loyalty is to the royal bloodline – Savannah. And if she died…" 

"The responsibility would go to you," Seifer said. "Which is exactly why Rhys was hoping that this little battle here would spell doom for you, Zell. He wants you dead and out of the way." 

"This is ridiculous," Savannah said, shaking her head. "I've known Rhys since he was a cub. He's never been anything completely loyal to…" 

Suddenly Rhys jerked away from Seifer before any of them could blink, moving out of range of the sword and immediately shifting his shape into his human guise, that of a tan-skinned man with spiked, blood-red hair and red eyes. The Guardian's mark wove its way up the side of his face, and his lips curled back in a sneer. 

"You're half right," Rhys growled, clenching his fists. "I have no intention of harming Savannah or the rest of Cosmo Canyon, and the Sorceress has promised me their safety – in exchange for Zellphirus' life." He drew his hand across his throat. "She wants him _dead_. And she's given me the power to do it." 

Several of the Guardians gasped, and Zell glared furiously at Rhys. "What the hell did I ever do to you?!" he snarled. 

"You've upset the entire balance of Cosmo Canyon!" Rhys said furiously. "Until you were recovered, I was slated to be the next Clan Leader! You know nothing of our customs, of our life, and yet suddenly you're to be in charge! You're even bringing in a human to taint our bloodline! The Guardians are already a dying race, and we don't need you to make our blood any thinner!" 

"Rhys!" Savannah exclaimed, staring up at the young Guardian in shock. 

"What kind of power did the Sorceress give you?" Quistis asked, her eyes wide. 

Rhys looked smug. "I'm surprised your little ex-Knight didn't figure that out," he said, turning his eyes to Seifer's. "Just for the record – I'm a much better candidate for the job than you _ever_ were!" 

Seifer growled, gripping the handle of Hyperion. "You son of a…do you have any idea what you've done?! You've made a pact with a Devil!"

"A Devil?" a silky voice said from nowhere. "Now, now, young Almasy. No need to use such harsh words." 

Seifer's breath caught in his throat as, behind Rhys, a figure seemed to materialize out of the air, taking on the shape of a tall woman. An elaborate headdress was perched on her head, her body barely covered by a sheer, off-the-shoulder gown that stopped at mid-thigh, a flowing cloak of silk wrapped around her arms and trailing on the ground behind her. Her lips were blood red, her eyes pure black, and her long black hair trailed down her back like a second cloak. 

Savannah took a step back at the sight of the woman. "Linra," she whispered. 

Irvine's jaw dropped. "That's Linra?" 

Rinoa wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the other Sorceress' power radiate out from her, as infinitely dark as Rinoa's own power was light. "That's her," she whispered, trembling. 

Rhys knelt in front of Linra, bowing his head to the Sorceress. "My lady…forgive me. I was unable to take his life this time…" 

"You have done well, Rhys," Linra murmured. "Do not worry – you will get a second chance. In fact, I have assured it." She turned his gaze directly on the five teens. "So. You are the ones who attempted to destroy me while I slept within the City of the Ancients. Yes, Rhys has told me the entire story – including who all of you are. I never would have dreamed that the children of the ones who sealed me away would be foolish enough to attempt the same thing." 

"What do you want?" Quistis asked, swallowing hard at hearing Linra speak of their parents. 

Linra smiled, but the gesture was cold, like the rest of her. "I've come to invite you to a…party, of sorts," she said. "I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Your other friends are already on their way now." 

"Party?" Irvine snorted. "You mean deathtrap, don't you? I think we'll pass." 

Linra pouted, running her long fingers through her hair. "Oh…that would be such a shame, especially since you're the guests of honor. But if you really insist on not attending…" The pout became a cruel smirk. "I suppose I'll just have to entertain myself in other ways." She snapped her fingers, and an image appeared in the air above her. 

"No way," Zell whispered. 

Three cages hung from a high ceiling, and sitting within them were unmistakably Sephiroth Almasy, Aeris Gainsborough, and Cid Highwind. 

"What kind of joke are you trying to play?!" Savannah shouted at the Sorceress. "Those are images of the past, not the present!" 

Linra turned her gaze on Savannah. "True, they are of the past," she said. "But keep in mind my power, Savannah. I have mastered the ability to speak through time and dimension. All I need is to give the word, and my younger self will see to it that these three are terminated. For good." 

Savannah stared at her in disbelief. "I lived the past, Linra," she said. "I can already guarantee that doesn't happen. You can't change the past from the future!" 

"Can't I?" Linra raised an eyebrow.

"Time Compression," Rinoa said softly. "You've mastered Time Compression, haven't you?" 

Savannah drew in a sharp breath. "How?" 

"I'll leave you to ponder that," Linra purred. "I'll be waiting for you at my tower, children. Don't be late. Or else." And then suddenly she, Rhys, and the image, were gone. 

Seifer and Quistis both seemed to be in a state of shock, and Rinoa and Irvine both had equal looks of disbelief on their faces. 

Zell turned to Savannah. "Is this possible?" he demanded. "She can't really change the past, can she?" 

Savannah swallowed hard. "She could…if she truly has mastered Time Compression. But how…I don't understand how she could have…"

"She hasn't," Rinoa said suddenly. "If she had, we'd know. Remember, we've all felt the effects of Time Compression." 

Irvine nodded. "Yeah…that's right. And it hasn't happened yet." 

"But at the same time, she's communicating somehow with the past," Quistis murmured. Her eyes widened. "Do you think…could that be why the spirits of our parents were disappearing from the City of the Ancients, like Cloud said? Linra's changing the past?" 

"Or attempting to," Zell said. "She's at least having some influence over it…I think you might be on to something, Quistis, about our parents." 

"I saw one of them," Irvine said suddenly.

Everyone stopped and looked at him. 

Irvine was looking troubled. "When I was looking for this place…I saw him. Your father, Zell…I saw Red XIII. He led me here…" 

Savannah paled. "You saw Nanaki?" she whispered. 

Irvine nodded. "We've been seeing the spirits of our parents all over the place, but they've been coming less and less. I think Quistis _is_ right – Linra is messing with things in the past, possibly while trying to obtain Time Compression. The more she changes, though, the worse off it could be for us, and everyone in our time. And if she kills one of our parents in the past…" 

"We won't exist," Rinoa whispered. 

"She has to be stopped," Seifer said quietly. "She's gone too far now. It's one thing to mess with our time…but to affect all of the others? We can't let her get away with it." 

"So we're going?" Zell asked. 

Seifer nodded. "We're going." 

Savannah looked at them. "But…this is clearly a trap…what if you get killed?" 

"Hey, at least we're walking into it _expecting_ it to be a trap," Irvine said, shrugging. "Though I do have a question. How do we get there? It isn't exactly down the block and around the corner." 

That stopped all of them for a moment, and they all looked at each other uncertainly. 

"I think…" Rinoa was hesitant for a moment, but then her resolve grew. "I think I can take us there. But I'll need some time to prepare." 

Seifer looked at her. "How long?" he asked. 

She bit her lip. "An hour should be enough," she said. 

"Okay, then," Seifer said. "We'll meet back here in one hour. In the meantime, the rest of us better get prepared." 

Irvine exchanged a look with Quistis, then snapped to attention, giving Seifer a mock-salute. "Yes, sir, Commander!" 

Seifer gave him a withering glare. "Oh, shut up."  

*****

Author's Note: Wow. Another chapter, and within the same month as the last. And a long one, too. ^_^ I hope this writing spree keeps up. I could get used to this, and fast. Let me know what you think – I hope this chapter was up to par. It's not easy to write chapters that include explanations of a plot, since I have to struggle not to give away too much at one time. If you have any questions, or comments, or anything, just leave a review. ^_^ Come to think of it, leave a review even if you don't! I love to hear from people. 

Real quick, let me run through some of the recent reviews, answer some questions, and respond to comments…

Karaoke Risa: Thanks for the compliment. For some reason, whenever I seem to think a chapter sucks, everyone else seems to enjoy it. I'm glad you liked it so much. Here's hoping you like this one just as much. 

Regrem Erutaerc: Oops. You're right. I did mess that up. When you've worked on a story this long, a few of the finer points start to fade from memory. Thanks for refreshing my memory – you're right. Sephiroth has Sorceress blood, not Cetra blood. The power, though, is similar enough that he was accepted into the Promised Land when he died, and is more or less recognized as a Cetra, especially since he uses his power for good instead of evil. 

Red Eyed, Divine Dragoon77415: I'll definitely have to check our your story…I'm in need of Legend of Dragoon stories. I've read most of the ones that were on the site a few months ago, but I kind of ran out. Anyways. The time when the parents and children meet _will_ be coming…sooner than you think, actually. ~_^ So stay tuned! 

Anonymous: I'm not sure where you got that information from. The only Misc. category that's been deleted recently to my knowledge is the Poetry category, and that was because the majority of the poems had nothing to do with fanfiction. I have heard nothing about all of the categories in Misc. being deleted. 

Kitty Kyinsky: Your guess is absolutely correct! Not going to say anything more on what happens when that does, though. I have to keep _some_ secrets, after all. 

Maniac SwordBreaker (Mosli): You can't wait, eh? Actually, neither can I. I'll try to get there as soon as possible!

DL Noleek: Thank you. I have every intention of finishing…just not sure _when_. I really don't know how long this thing is going to be – it's already thirty-nine chapters. 

Brutal2003: Nope. Definitely not as long.

Luki Dimension: Yes. I am trying to torment you. I live to torment you. I purposefully came out with the chapter this soon just to make you wonder how long it will take for the next one. Just kidding. ::grins:: Thanks for sticking through even the longest of the pauses between chapters. 

Wow. Lots of people. Thanks, minna. ^_^ Anyways, I'll see you next time, after another look at the FF7 side of things. Until then! 

~ Aynslesa Morro Wolf


	40. Another DayAnother Time

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Forty: Another Day…Another Time**

Sephiroth sat in his cage, leaning up against the side of it, his long hair draped around him like a very large blanket. He was the only one awake – Aeris had managed to fall asleep about an hour earlier, and Cid, despite all of his moaning and groaning, had been the first to nod off. Sephiroth, though, was used to not sleeping for long periods of time, and didn't feel at all relaxed enough to even try sleeping while they were trapped in Linra's lair.

And the Sorceress' words kept going through his mind, as well. _Bait for the future?_ Sephiroth frowned slightly, green eyes staring off into nothing as he contemplated them. _What did she mean? Could it have something to do with that Time Compression that Hyne warned us about? Damn it…if only we had more information!_

He wasn't foolish enough to think that Cloud and the others would be able to come for them. Linra's stronghold was in the Promised Land, and only the Cetra could grant the non-Cetra passage. Unless Quistis and Seifer suddenly learned to talk, the others wouldn't be able to come.

Then he paused for a moment. _Learned to talk…_ He'd been assuming that the permission to enter the Promised Land was supposed to be spoken, but suddenly that didn't seem at all right. For starters, if that were true, then how would he know what to say? How would Aeris know? Neither of them were given any sort of special code while they were in the Promised Land, and prior to that, neither of them had known anything about the Cetra. The last Cetra who had truly followed the ways of the clan had been Ifalna, Aeris' mother. Aeris had been raised by humans, and as for Sephiroth – well, he wasn't even one-hundred percent sure _how_ he was Cetra. He only knew that he must be, if he had been drawn into the Promised Land after death, instead of returned to Lifestream for rebirth.

Sephiroth looked over through the cages, at where Aeris was lying. He hated to wake her, but he really needed to speak with her. Shifting, he moved to the side of the cage closest to where she lay. "Aeris," he whispered, trying to get her attention without waking Cid. "Aeris, love, wake up."

She stirred slightly, and after a few more whispered proddings, opened her eyes and slowly sat up to look at him. "What…Sephiroth?" She looked at him with sleep-filled eyes, her expression perplexed. "Is something wrong?" She glanced around nervously.

"Nothing like that," Sephiroth replied, sensing her anxiety that Linra had done something. "But we do need to talk about something. And I want to do it before Cid wakes up."

Aeris shifted so that she could see him better through the bars of her cage, her line of sight no longer blocked by Cid, as the pilot was stretched out on the bottom of the cage, snoring. "Talk? About what?"

Sephiroth glanced around, as nervous as she was about Linra suddenly appearing. "Do you remember what Hyne told us, about Linra being in the Promised Land?"

Aeris nodded slowly. "Yes…"

"Well, then that's where we must be – in the remains of the Promised Land that she destroyed when she first entered this world," Sephiroth replied. "Which means I'm not sure we can count on the others coming through to us."

Aeris opened her mouth to ask why, then closed it as she, too, remembered what Hyne had said. "We're the ones who were supposed to grant them passage," she said, sagging slightly. "But we're already _in_ the Promised Land."

Sephiroth nodded, looking downcast. "Yes," he said softly. "Which puts something of a kink in everything. And it means – unless something else happens – it's up to the three of us to find our own way out of this, instead of waiting for them."

"If only we could figure out what it is we're supposed to do to grant passage," Aeris said, biting her lip. "Then Quistis and Seifer…"

"So you don't know, either?" Sephiroth interrupted, frowning. "I was afraid of that."

Aeris looked troubled as well. "It's been bothering me – but I guess I just assumed we'd figure it out when the time came."

"What're ya two yammering on about?" a sleepy, irritated voice cut in. Cid sat up in his cage, stretching and rubbing his eyes. "Well, that was the most annoying sleep I've ever had. Craziest damn dream."

"Oh?" Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah. I dreamed I was headmaster of this huge school," Cid said. He shuddered. "I don't even _like_ school. Never went when I was a kid."

"Why am I not surprised?" Sephiroth muttered under his breath, but stopped with a warning look from Aeris.

Aeris smiled at him when she saw him relent, and turned back to Cid. "We all have odd dreams," she said.

"Yeah – but this one wasn't just odd, it was _vivid_," Cid said. Now that he was more awake, more details of the dream were beginning to come back to him – that was unusual, wasn't? Usually it was the other way around, that the dream would fade the more awake you became. "I mean, I can still remember the faces clearly – and, damn, I know this is strange, but I swear Quistis and Seifer were there. Only older – in their late teens."

Sephiroth looked at him, startled.

"And Seifer had this scar on his face – it was identical to one this other kid had, a kid named Squall, only going the opposite direction. Those two were fighting a lot - always arguing and everything. And Quistis was always trying to get them to stop, but it didn't work. Strange thing was, Seifer didn't treat Quistis like an older sister – half the time he didn't even seem to realize she was there."

Aeris looked at Cid. "How long was your dream?" she asked.

Cid shrugged. "I dunno…it skipped around a lot. Started when Seifer and this Squall kid were only thirteen. Quistis was part of this military force called SeeD – the school was a military school. Then this other kid – short, loud-mouthed character – named Zell started to get in on it. It went up until they were about seventeen or eighteen, and then it started skipping all over the place. There were other kids that started showing up, too...just so fucking confusing." He pressed his hand against his head. "Too much information…way too much for a dream."

"Sephiroth," Aeris said, turning to look at her husband. "Didn't you say that you'd had a dream here? A dream of a boy about eighteen…"

"…who called himself Seifer Almasy," Sephiroth said, nodding. "Yeah. I did." He looked a little disturbed. "And he had a scar, exactly the way you described, Cid. Did the Seifer in your dream have a streak of green running through his hair?"

"Streak of green?" Cid shook his head. "No."

"But if everything else matched," Aeris said, looking at them, "then maybe you two weren't having dreams – but were seeing into something."

"'Into something'?" they both echoed, looking at her curiously.

Aeris fidgeted slightly, feeling nervous for being put on the spot like that suddenly. "Yes – like another universe…or another time."

Sephiroth looked at her, then nodded slightly. "Time," he said. "Everything that's been happening lately has been pointing to time. Linra's comments about the future, Hyne's mention of Time Compression..."

"So, what, we were seeing visions of the future?" Cid looked confused. "But…the _places_ in that dream I had – they were nothing like I've seen. And if Seifer were a teenager, it wouldn't be that distant of a future." He shook his head. "None of this makes any damn sense!"

"You said Quistis was there, too, right?" Sephiroth asked, looking at him.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Cid said, nodding. "She was. Had an attitude that reminded me of Cloud when he goes 'commander' on the rest of us, only more so. Definitely a family resemblance there."

"And you mentioned other kids that the dream seemed to focus on," Sephiroth continued.

Cid nodded again. "But I don't know who they were – probably just random people."

"But maybe not," Aeris objected. "Cid…this may be important. Which people were the most prominent in your dream, aside from Quistis and Seifer?"

"Well – there was that Squall kid, the one who was always fighting with Seifer. If I didn't know better, I'd think _he_ were Cloud's kid or something. He had the broad-end-of-a-rake-up-the-ass attitude that Cloud used to have. He seemed to be the pseudo-leader of their little group.

"The other one was Zell…short, though I think he was going to hit a growth spurt soon from the way he went after the hot dogs his school had. He had this mark on his face that looked like a tattoo, but he didn't seem the tattoo type, so maybe there was something else to it. I think he was the comic relief of the group, but you could tell that the kid knew his martial arts. There were a few battle scenes in the dream, and all of them were well trained."

"Well, if the school was a military school, that makes sense," Sephiroth replied.

Cid nodded, running his fingers through his hair. "Those four started to show up when they were about thirteen or fourteen, and pretty much continued until they were seventeen or eighteen. Then everything went kind of crazy. Seifer, Zell, and Squall were trying out for that SeeD military force thing, along with this hyper child named Selphie. Real cutesy sort of girl - one of the types that makes friends easily. Reminded me of Yuffie, but in a less-klepto way.

So, anyway, from what I could – Zell, Selphie, and Squall passed their training, but Seifer didn't – and I don't think it was the first time he failed. Guess he didn't inherit the elite soldier gene from you, Sephiroth."

Sephiroth rolled his eyes.

"Then this other girl showed up, calling herself Rinoa – she and this Squall guy seemed to hit it off pretty well. I guess this SeeD group is a bunch of mercenaries or something, because she apparently hired out Squall, Zell, and Selphie to help her with something – which ended up with…" Cid stopped short, his eyes slowly widening as if he had just remembered something vitally important, that he hadn't recalled until just then.

"What?" Sephiroth and Aeris asked, looking at him through the bars of their cages.

"I was pretty much going off the top of my head, recalling details as I went here," Cid said slowly, his voice completely serious. "And I just remembered that, while they were on this mission, they had to get to the TV station – and while they were there, Quistis and Seifer showed up. And Seifer…he ended up joining forces with a Sorceress. Sorceress Edea."

Sephiroth's eyes widened, and Aeris paled slightly. "Another Sorceress?" she whispered.

Cid nodded. "Yeah. Seifer showed up for some reason that no one could quite get, and the Sorceress showed up, and he ended up joining her – agreeing to be her Sorcerer's Knight. They vanished."

Sephiroth shuddered, clenching his fists at his side. He could still remember how it felt, being Jenova's Knight – though slave was probably a more appropriate term – and then Linra's. The first had been a moment of insanity that only death had purged, and the second had been forced onto him, but neither were anything he'd want to have anyone else experience.

And now…his _son_ was to be a Sorcerer's Knight in the future?

If that was the future…

Cid must've seen the expression on his face, because he immediately said, "But, you know, dreams are weird. They don't mean anything…it was probably just a figment of my imagination 'cause of all this craziness. This place is creepy enough to come up with anything."

Aeris bit her lip, and nodded slightly, looking at Sephiroth worriedly. "Yes…I'm sure you're right., Cid…"

"Too many coincidences," Sephiroth said quietly, and both of them looked at him. "Just…too many. And too many details. With all this craziness going on, the probability of it not being a dream is greater than it being one." He brushed a few strands of hair from his face, tucking them behind his ear. "Was there anything else to it, Cid?"

Cid shook his head. "No," he said. "You all woke me up before I could get any further."

Sephiroth sighed. "I see." He looked around, his eyes narrowed in thought. "I wonder…we're to be bait for the future, Linra said. And then Cid has a dream of the future…do you think perhaps we're _in_ the future, right now? That we've been brought here…there?"

"But…wouldn't we feel it if that were the case?" Aeris asked, shivering slightly. The idea of being pulled out of their time into one in the future was unnerving, to say the least.

"Who knows?" Sephiroth asked, leaning against the bars of his cage. He closed his eyes for a moment. "I doubt we would feel anything once we were in the time – and we were unconscious when we were brought here. But I've never knowingly experienced time travel – I don't know."

Cid sighed, leaning against his own bars. "Well, either way, it looks like we're waiting around for someone to come rescue us. There don't seem to be ways out of…WHOA!" Cid suddenly let out a yelp as two of the bars he was leaning against suddenly vanished, causing him to almost fall backwards out of the cage. The only thing stopping him was the fact that his back was larger than the hole. He yanked away and turned to stare at the hole. "What the fuck?"

"That…was unexpected," Sephiroth said, staring at the hole.

"Did they fall…?" Aeris asked.

"No – I swear, one minute they were there, and the next, they were gone," Cid replied. He reached out and stuck his hand through the hole. "Yup. Definitely not there. Now I'm getting creeped out."

"Did you do anything?" Sephiroth asked.

"Other than lean against the bars? Not a thing," Cid replied.

Sephiroth frowned in thought – and then his eyes lit up. "Of course! I thought we'd been magicked into these cages, but I couldn't feel any residue from any spells to bring us here. This explains it."

"Explains what?" Cid asked. "I'm not seeing any explanations…"

Sephiroth motioned to the hole. "We weren't magicked in, but the cages themselves are magic. Cid probably leaned on it a certain way and magically triggered the release."

"I did?" Cid grinned. "Cool."

"Yeah, it is cool," Sephiroth said, nodding. "Now seize the opportunity and see if you can get out."

Cid blinked, then looked sheepish. "I guess that's a good idea." He moved to the hole and stuck his head out. "Whoa…I can see the ground from here. It's…a long way down. I'd say about ten or twelve feet." He frowned slightly. "But there's this ledge that runs around the edge of the cage…hang on." Before Sephiroth or Aeris could say anything, Cid began to slid his way through the hole in the cage, gripping the other bars tightly as he sought his footing on the ledge.

"Be careful!" Aeris said, as Cid clung to the outside of the cage, just barely balanced on the small, half-foot ledge.

"I'm trying," Cid retorted. "Hey, Sephiroth…try swinging your cage a little closer to mine. I'm going to see if I can get from my ledge to your ledge."

"And if you fall?" Sephiroth asked.

"I hope that the ground isn't as far as I think it is," Cid replied. "Now swing it!"

Sephiroth stood up, and moved over to one side of the cage, closest to Cid's. "Make sure I don't hit you," he replied, before throwing himself at the side, putting all of his weight against the side of the cage. The cage swung out, almost colliding with Cid's cage in the process.

"Whoa, watch it!" Cid yelped, gripping the bars hard to keep from losing his footing. "I said swing it over to me, not swing it _into_ me!"

"It wasn't that far away to begin with," Sephiroth grumbled. He stepped back as his cage swung back, passing its original position and moving further in the opposite direction. Then it began to arc once more towards Cid's cage, going at a considerably slower momentum than the first time around.

Cid looked at the cage apprehensively for a moment – but didn't hesitate when it came close enough. He reached out with one arm, snagged one of the bars, and leaped forward, releasing his hold on his cage and grabbing Sephiroth's just as his feet connected with the ledge…

…and slipped. With a yelp, Cid lost his footing, and he was suddenly clinging to the bars for dear life as his feet dangled over the edge. "Goddamn it, Sephiroth, help me out!" he shouted. "I can't hold this for very long!"

Aeris watched with wide eyes as her husband knelt on his side of the bars, reaching through them to grasp Cid's arms tightly. His muscles bulged as he pulled Cid up, standing up and walking backwards to help the loudmouthed pilot get one of his legs back onto the ledge. Once Cid was more secure, he had no trouble getting the other up, and soon he was balanced easily on Sephiroth's cage, just as he'd been on his own.

"Last time I do that," Cid muttered. "What the hell was I thinking?"

"I don't know," Sephiroth replied calmly. "But now that you're over here – what are you going to do?"

"My god, you're fucking impatient, aren't you?" Cid asked. He began to inch his way around the edge of the cage, feeling along the bars as he did so. "Hmm…maybe the catch is on the other side."

Sephiroth moved forward, peering at the bars. "They all seem pretty normal to me…and completely similar. There's no indication of anything at all."

"Well, duh – if there were, that would make this easy," Cid replied. "Try feeling around on your side of the bars – maybe we'll find something –"

"SHH!" Aeris suddenly stiffened, her eyes widening. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" they both asked, turning to look at her.

"I thought I heard footsteps," Aeris replied. "Cid…quick, you've got to get down from there! If it's Linra and she comes in here and sees you like that, she'll be furious!"

"Get down? Get down _how_?" Cid asked, looking at her incredulously. "That's a ten foot drop!"

"You've survived worse," Aeris said matter-of-factly. "Who was it that threw himself onto the wing of a plane that was about to take off, and then managed to stay on it after it had crashed into the ocean?"

Cid was silent for a moment. And in that moment of silence, he could hear the same footsteps that Aeris had heard. "Oh, what the hell?" he said finally. "Worst thing that can happen is I break something and get caught again."

"Well, try not to let that happen," Sephiroth said dryly. "And try to find a way out of here – you could bring help."

"Sounds like a plan," Cid said. "Well…here goes." Glancing down at the darkened area below, he suddenly pushed off from the cage, praying that the ground was really as far as he'd expected. If it were further, he'd be dead.

He hit the ground with barely any trouble. Then he stood up, and looked at the cages. "Okay. I hate optical illusions."

The floor had been less than four feet away.

It was clear that Sephiroth and Aeris were both trying to resist commenting on it, but just as it seemed like they were about to start laughing, the sound of a door opening echoed like a gunshot through the room. Cid's eyes widened, and on pure reflex, he ran for a statue that was leaning up against one of the walls – a statue which hadn't been visible from the cages, but was perfectly clear from where he was standing. The lighting in the room was completely skewed so that everything looked different from the cages. He pressed himself up against the side of it, praying that Linra – or whoever it was – wouldn't be able to find him.

The person who entered the room wasn't Linra. He wasn't female at all. He stood almost six feet tall, and had blood red hair and a tanned complexion that were complimented by a white tunic and pants. Tattooed on the side of his face was an intricate design that reminded Cid of something, but the pilot couldn't quite place what it was.

The man walked into the center of the room, and stared up at the cages, and smirked. "So. You're the Great Sephiroth. Linra's first Knight." He raised an eyebrow, and shook his head. "I don't see what's so special about you."

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes, leaning against the cage bars. "And who are you to judge me?" he growled. There was something about this man that rubbed him wrong upon first sight. Aeris gave him a warning look, silently advising him not to lose his temper.

The man fixed his dark eyes on Sephiroth, a lock of red hair falling into his face. "Me? My name is Rhys. You'll do to remember that…Sephiroth the Mad."

Sephiroth grabbed the bars of the cage. "What did you call me?!"

"Oh, didn't you know?" Rhys asked. "That's what history calls you – Sephiroth the Mad, who tried to destroy the world 500 years ago and was beaten back by AVALANCHE."

Cid's eyes widened, and he could hear both Aeris and Sephiroth's drawn in breaths. _500 years?!_ he thought. _We've been pulled THAT far into the future? No way…!_

"Surprised?" Rhys folded his arms over his chest. "I suppose I would be, too. But it's true – you're 500 years in the future. Which means you probably won't be able to count on a quick rescue any time soon."

"Why are you telling us this?" Aeris asked, staring at him. "Who _are_ you?"

"That boy had a lot more intuition than you did," Rhys said, looking at Sephiroth. "I'm surprised. He was only Ultimecia's puppet, after all – you were Jenova _and_ Linra's. And yet he figured it out almost immediately."

Sephiroth frowned…and then his eyes widened. "Sorceress' Knight. _You?!_" That, at least, explained the instant dislike.

"Bingo," Rhys replied. He ran his hand through his hair. "Well, I came here for what I wanted. Don't worry, Sephiroth – I'm sure I'll do a better job than you." He bowed mockingly, then turned and walked through the door. "Nice meeting you. Maybe, if you're good, I'll arrange a reunion while you're here." Then he disappeared, the door closing behind him.

Aeris turned to look at her husband. "A reunion? What did he mean?"

"I don't know," Sephiroth replied, frowning. He glanced around. "Cid?"

There was no answer.

Sephiroth narrowed his eyes. "Cid?"

"I…don't think he's here," Aeris said uncertainly.

"Then where the hell is he?"

Aeris looked at the door. "…I think he got out." She looked back to Sephiroth, then shifted closer to the bars and reached her arm through.

Sephiroth did the same, sitting down and reaching out so that he could catch her hand with his. He squeezed it gently. "I hope you're right."

* * *

"You two better be appreciating this," Cid muttered as he peered around the corner of a long dark corridor. He didn't know where he was, but he could only hope that if he kept following these hallways he'd eventually stumble on the way out. He'd managed to slip out of the room without that Rhys character noticing him, and had hurried out of sight as quickly as he could. Rhys hadn't seemed to notice that he was gone – maybe he hadn't known there were supposed to be _three_ prisoners instead of two.

Whatever the reason his disappearance hadn't been noticed, he wasn't about to look a gift chocobo in the mouth. Or beak…

Whatever.

Seeing no one down the hallway, Cid turned the corner, moving quietly and cautiously. He didn't know what sort of things Linra had up her sleeve, but he wasn't about to risk running into any of her creatures. Those things that had attacked the Highwind were bad enough – he hated to see what else she might have working for her.

And him without a weapon, too.

Instinctively, his hand went behind his back, and he sighed when he didn't feel his Venus Gospel, normally strapped in place where he could easily reach it. _It must still be back in the past,_ Cid grumbled to himself. Just his luck that his weapon would have to be _five hundred years_ out of reach. Then he stopped, a feeling of dread creeping into him as he realized just what that meant.

All of his abilities – his limit breaks, his Materia – they were tied into that weapon. Sure, he had his armor, but he'd always kept most of his powerful Materia equipped to the Venus Gospel. And his limit breaks were useless without that weapon.

Fumbling with his armor band, he flipped open the compartment that he kept his Materia in to see what he still had. With a groan, he counted only one magic Materia – Ice. And it wasn't even fully maxed out. Its capabilities stopped at Ice 2. No summoning Materia, just an All Materia equipped to the Ice and an Enemy Skill with a few minor skills. He'd been training this new Materia – all of his maxed out pieces were attached to the Gospel.

"If I get into a battle in this place, I'm screwed," Cid muttered under his breath. "Okay, then, so I'll avoid battles at any cost. Shouldn't be too hard. Me being in enemy territory and all."

Coming up to another corner, he paused and cautiously looked around again. It wasn't actually a corner – it was a doorway. And in the doorway was what looked like a security room, complete with a wall of televisions that had to be hooked up to security cameras.

_The Sorceress has security cameras? The hell? _That made zero sense to Cid – why would a Sorceress who had the power to defy time use regular old security cameras?

Intrigued, Cid stepped into the room, glancing around quickly to make sure he was alone. When he was satisfied that there was no one else in the room, he walked up to the television screens.

And whistled softly. "Hello," he murmured. None of the images on the screen could've possibly been from inside Linra's stronghold. This was good, considering if they had been then he very well could've been walking straight into a trap, since Linra would've most likely known that he was walking around. But that wasn't what was intriguing.

What was intriguing was what these cameras _did_ show.

The signals, it seemed, were coming from several different locations, probably from all over the world. Cid wasn't a computer genius, but if he had to hazard a guess, he'd guess that Linra was somehow tapping into the transmission signals that these cameras were sending off to wherever they were supposed to, and diverting the information to these screens. A good way to keep an eye on people, without having to expend too much energy. But that also raised the question of why Linra would _need_ to conserve her energy, especially if she was supposed to be as powerful a Sorceress as both she and Hyne had claimed.

Cid's eyes flicked from one screen to the other, ignoring areas that were completely devoid of people, and other areas that he couldn't even begin to make sense of what he was looking at. If he needed any more proof that he was far from his time, here it was – what he was looking at was definitely more advanced than anything he'd ever seen.

As he wandered from one screen to another, he noticed a pair of headphones lying on a desk. Curiously, he reached out and picked them up, then settled them over his ears as he tried to figure out which screen they were attached to. At first, there was no sound.

"_Any messages from the Headmaster, Selphie?" _

"_No – nothing yet. It's getting harder and harder to get any signals the closer we get to the Pillar._"

Cid nearly dropped the headphones, and his eyes widened slightly. He knew those voices. He knew that _name_.

They were from his dream.

His fucking too-real-to-be-a-dream dream.

Fumbling, he located a switch on the side of the headphones that turned up the volume. He was pretty sure the person who had voiced the first question was the one named Squall Leonheart, judging from the tone of voice and what he remembered from the dream. And there was no question that the other was Selphie "Hyper Child" Tilmitt, the one who had reminded him so much of Yuffie.

"_Well, keep trying," _Squall said again. "_The more information they have before we get to the Pillar, the better I'll feel about this." _

_"And I'd like to find out how __Irvine__ is," _another voice, this one female and completely unfamiliar to Cid, said.

"_So would I," _Selphie said, sighing. "_I've got a hail to Esthar and __Balamb__Garden__ on loop, but until the signal actually gets through and someone picks up, I'm afraid we're probably not going to get an answer."_

As Cid listened to them, he scanned his eyes over the screens in front of him, trying to figure out which one of them was attached to the headset that he was using.

Finally his gaze fell on a screen in the corner. It showed the interior of a cockpit, and three figures standing in it. He stood up and moved closer, to get a better look. Yes, this was it – he'd recognized Squall and Selphie, and the third person looked familiar, though he couldn't place where he might have seen her before.

Selphie was sitting at the controls of the ship that they were in, and Squall and the other girl were standing behind her. Squall was peering over her shoulder at the controls, and the other girl was casually running a cloth over an antique-looking crossbow.

Whoa, wait a minute.

"Damn it, is there any way to zoom in on this thing?" Cid muttered, leaning in close and practically pressing his nose against the screen. Yes…unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, that was definitely Catherine's crossbow. But…how had it survived 500 years? No way. Couldn't be the same. Not logical.

Squall turned to look at the girl. "_How long are you going to keep cleaning that?" _he asked.

"_It's just giving me something to do, to keep me from worrying about Seifer and __Irvine_ the girl replied. "_This crossbow is actually in amazing shape for being over 500 years old."_

"_Not so amazing when you think about it," _Selphie said, turning to look at them. "_Technically, it's only about seventeen years old. It came through the worm hole with the Headmaster, the Ragnarok, and the Highwind seventeen years ago, just like the rest of us."_

"_Like the rest of you,"_ the other girl said. "_I still don't know how I ended up in this time – that's one of the questions I'm hoping to get answered during all of this. Nothing we found onboard the Ragnarok gave any clue, except that Catherine Carruthers wasn't on this ship when it went into space. I'm not sure how her weapon ended up here."_

_"Who knows?" _Selphie shrugged. "_This whole thing has been nothing but crazy. Let's not dwell on it, though." _She grinned. "_Hey – want to go back and take another look at the Highwind?"_

Cid's eyes widened. The Highwind? Here? What the hell?

"_I think we should leave it until we return to Esthar," _Squall replied. "_I'm sure the Headmaster wants to take a look at it._"

Selphie sighed dejectedly. "_Yeah…you're probably right. It's just that it's getting boring, just sitting here waiting to reach the Pillar – and we still don't know how far away we are."_

"_We've been flying for quite a few days by now,_" Tera replied. "_We've got to be getting close. How much distance can the Ragnarok cover, anyway?_"

"_In atmosphere? We should've been there by now if the original calculations for the distance were correct," _Selphie replied. "_Which they aren't. So right now, all I can think of is that either there's some freaky magic going on, or else the Pillar is moving._"

Cid watched the three of them stop when Selphie said that, and looked at each other. "_It couldn't actually be moving…could it?_" Selphie asked weakly.

"_Given that this is a Sorceress…it might,"_ Squall said, looking like he was getting a headache. "_We've never actually had proof that the Pillar is rooted to the ground…"_

"_If the Pillar is moving, and it's moving at the same rate we are, then we'll never catch up!_" Tera groaned.

"_We don't know for sure that it is…"_ Selphie said hesitantly.

"_And we don't know for sure that it isn't,"_ Squall replied. "_Selphie. Take Ragnarok off of auto-pilot, and punch her to her maximum speed. We need to try and close some distance between us._"

Selphie nodded, turning back to the controls and hitting a few buttons. The console immediately lit up as she seized control of the ship back from the auto-pilot. "_Setting course for the Pillar, maximum speed,_" she said. "_I hope this works._"

Cid pulled off his headphones then, and set them back down where he had found them. There was no time to sit around and listen in on this conversation anymore. He had to find a way to contact the Ragnarok – and he knew, instinctively, that it couldn't be a coincidence that the ship they were on had the same name as the one he'd been designing with Shira before getting pulled into this crazy adventure. It was just another piece of proof that his entire life had gotten extremely, extremely weird.

Whatever the case, he needed to find a communications room of some sort. This room only had monitoring equipment. And maybe, if he was lucky, he'd be able to confirm whether or not the kids were right, and whether or not this Pillar – for that was where he assumed he was – really was moving. If it was, there might be something he could do to fix that so that help would get there sooner.

And in the meantime, he needed to find a way to free Sephiroth and Aeris.

Those two _really_ better be appreciating this.

Without hesitation, he stood up, and hurried out of the room.


	41. Timequake

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Forty-One: Timequake**

"You look like you've been through hell and back, Cloud," Reeve said, looking at the blond man sitting in front of his desk. He leaned against his desk, his arms folded over his chest, a look of concern on his face.

"I _feel_ like it," Cloud replied, shaking his head and sighing. "It's just been one event after another, with no time to stop and rest in between. The Sorceress has been ahead of us since the beginning. And now…"

Reeve nodded. It had been two days since the incident on the Highwind. AVALANCHE had spent the first day back in Neo-Midgar catching up on some much needed sleep, and now, on the second day, were ready and willing to go after Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cid. The only problem was that none of them had any idea where to look for them.

"While the rest of us were resting up, I've had our security forces out trying to dig up some information," Reeve said. "It's minimal, at best. I don't know if you're aware of this, Cloud, but the rest of the Planet hasn't been doing so good since Linra showed up. It isn't just Cosmo Canyon being destroyed. Other places are being affected, too, in other subtler ways."

Cloud raised his head, looking at Reeve. "What do you mean?"

Reeve reached behind him and picked up a file folder, sighing and flipping it open. "The waterline around Wutai has begun to rise– they've been forced to relocate to the mountains for the time being, but it isn't just near the town, it's around the entire island. The Midgar Marshes are showing signs of drying up. Icicle Inn has reported a temperature increase that is melting the icecaps. Things like that. All natural, but all happening at once and at such a rate that they can't possibly _be_ natural." He snapped the folder shut. "And one other noticeable thing – the Lifestream."

Cloud frowned. "What about the Lifestream?"

"It's disappearing," Reeve replied. "The lake that was left behind when the Lifestream punched through the Planet a year ago is considering lower than it was, and I'm getting reports of it decreasing every hour. Our scientists think it'll be a matter of days before it's gone completely."

Cloud cursed softly. "What does that mean for us?"

"I don't know," Reeve said honestly. "I don't know if the Lifestream has anything to do with what we're facing now, but you have to admit, it isn't a good sign."

"I don't have to admit anything," Cloud muttered under his breath, standing up and pacing, his hands clasped behind his back. "So what you're saying is, the Planet is dying. Damn it, I wish Bugenhagen were here right now. He'd be useful."

"What about Red?" Reeve asked. "Bugenhagen was his grandfather…"

"We've already talked about it," Cloud replied. "He knows very little about his grandfather's research, and with Bugenhagen's library at Cosmo Canyon buried beneath the rubble along with everything else, there's nothing he can do."

"Then I'd say there's only one course of action," Reeve replied. "The Sorceress. It comes down to her. Stop her, you stop the unnatural occurrences. And from what you told me about what this Hyne woman said, you have to go to the Promised Land to stop the Sorceress."

"But the only way to get into the Promised Land was through Sephiroth and Aeris," Cloud replied. "See our problem?"

"I see the problem," Reeve replied, nodding. "So now we need a solution."

"The solution is finding Sephiroth and Aeris," Cloud said. "That's the only way we can get into the Promised Land."

"And chances are, the Promised Land is where the Sorceress is keeping them," Reeve replied. "You're talking yourself into circles, Cloud. Just for a moment, forget about Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cid. Focus on what the task is – getting into the Promised Land. What did Sorceress Hyne say, exactly, concerning getting into it?"

Cloud frowned, clenching and unclenching his fists. He knew Reeve was just trying to help, but right now the other man was just seriously getting on his nerves. Fully refreshed from sleeping almost twenty-four hours, he was ready and raring to go, and the last thing he wanted to do was stand in this office and talk.

"_To get there, you must be granted permission by all those living with Cetran blood, at the point of power._"

"She said that permission had to be granted by all the living Cetra," Cloud replied. "At the point of power. That's the ruins of the City of the Ancients."

Reeve nodded. "There's the solution then."

"Except that Aeris and Sephiroth are the only living Cetra," Cloud replied.

Reeve raised an eyebrow. "Are they?"

Cloud stared at them. Then his eyes widened. "Whoa. Hold on. No. No way. I'm not getting them involved in this anymore. They're just children, Reeve!"

"And they have Cetran blood," Reeve replied. "Thin as it is, they're Cetra, and they're the only ones who can open the Promised Land."

"I will not put my daughter in any more danger!" Cloud thundered. "Forget it, Reeve. We'll find another way." He turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him so hard the walls practically shook.

_How can Reeve even think about suggesting that? There's no way in hell I'm risking Quistis and Seifer_, Cloud thought as he took the elevator down to his quarters. "There's another way, there has to be," he muttered, punching his code into the door and letting it slide open.

As Head of Security for Neo-Shinra, Cloud was granted one of the larger suite of rooms in the headquarters building. Normally he found it a bit too large for one person, but now he was starting to think that it was a little small – and he'd only been back for a day.

The reason behind the sudden shrinkage of his personal space had to do with the little terror who was currently rolling around on his living room floor.

"He's awake already?" Cloud asked, unable to stop from grinning as he watched Seifer roll towards Tifa. He was wrapped up in a blanket, and the corner of it was stuck in his mouth, so that the end result was that he kept rolling out of the blanket, and then wrapping himself back up in it, until he reached Tifa.

She looked up and smiled, picking up the little boy and standing. "He woke up about an hour ago – don't worry, I've been keeping an eye on him. He didn't break anything, and he didn't get into anything he shouldn't have. You really need to baby-proof this place."

"The idea was never a major priority," Cloud replied, coming up to her and sliding his arms around her waist, kissing her cheek. "But I'll look into it."

Tifa tilted her head to look at him, and her smile grew. "Good. You have nine months."

Seifer looked up at them. "Buh," he said, pointing at Tifa. The expression on his face clearly indicated that he would rather she pay attention to him instead of Cloud. Then he began to squirm again, unhappy with being off the ground.

Tifa pulled out of Cloud's arms and knelt down, setting Seifer back down so that the baby could continue his rolling. "How did the meeting go with Reeve?" she asked worriedly.

Cloud sighed, brushing a few unruly strands of blond hair out of his face. "It looks like our only option is to go after the Sorceress in the Promised Land…"

"But how?" Tifa asked, confusion clear on her face. "The only way into the Promised Land according to Hyne is through the City of the Ancients, and we need Sephiroth and Aeris…"

"We need a Cetra," Cloud replied. "Any Cetra." He scowled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Any…oh." Tifa looked down at Seifer. She fell silent, her expression troubled. It was clear that she was thinking along the same lines as Cloud.

"Where's Quistis?" Cloud asked abruptly.

"In the spare bedroom, still sleeping, I think," Tifa replied.

He nodded, and walked to the closed door. Gently, he pushed it open and stepped inside the dimly lit room.

Quistis wasn't asleep. She was sitting in the middle of the bed, staring at the wall silently. She seemed to be looking at something that Cloud couldn't see, and a chill went down his spine at the expression on her face.

"Quisty?" he asked softly.

"They're coming," Quistis said softly, and Cloud looked at her, startled. Quistis had barely spoken a word since this entire thing had started, even though Aeris had told him that she could, in fact, speak, and quite well for her age. She just chose not to.

"Who's coming, sweetie?" Cloud asked, taking a step forward. His daughter didn't look at him as he sat down on the bed next to him.

"Mommy's gone," Quistis murmured. "Sephiroth's gone. Uncle Cid's gone."

"We'll get them back," Cloud said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Quistis shook her head, and turned to look at him. Her eyes seemed unusually bright in the dim lighting, as he imagined his own must look. The side effects of the Mako reaction were painfully clear at that moment. "I don't feel them anymore, Daddy," she said, her eyes pleading. "They aren't here."

Cloud shook his head slightly, looking at her. He had a feeling that she was trying to tell him something important. "I don't understand, Quisty," he said. "You don't…feel them?"

He remembered, suddenly, the time when Aeris' foster mother had told him how Aeris had sensed the passing of her husband. Aeris had been able to sense his spirit returning to the Lifestream. If he remembered correctly, the Cetra could sense the spirits of all the life forms on the Planet, whether they were alive or dead. And they could do this at any time. "You don't feel them at all?" he asked, his mind racing as he tried to absorb what his daughter was telling him.

Quistis nodded, reaching out and gripping his shirt. She pressed her face against his chest, her small body trembling slightly. "Where did they go, Daddy?" she whimpered.

Cloud wrapped his arms around her. "I don't know, Quisty," he said softly, stroking her soft blonde hair. "But we'll find them. We'll bring them back. I promise."

If Quistis, who had already proved that she possessed quite a bit of her mother's power, despite only being one-fourth Cetran, couldn't locate Aeris, Sephiroth, and Cid on the Planet, in the Lifestream, or beyond, that had to mean that they weren't there to be found. But then, where were they? The Promised Land was still _part_ of the Planet, and the Lifestream, even if it was its own realm. Right?

So, if they weren't anywhere in _space…_

"Time," Cloud whispered, his eyes widening. "It all comes back to Time."

Quistis was trembling harder now, and he continued to stroke her hair, looking down at her in the process. He was trembling, too.

She was looking up at him, her violet eyes fearful. "Daddy…?"

A chill went down his spine, and his eyes widened. They weren't the ones trembling.

The _bed_ was!

"Cloud!" Tifa shouted from the living room as the room began to shake. "CLOUD!"

"TIFA, GET IN A DOORWAY!" Cloud shouted, jumping to his feet and picking Quistis up. "IT'S AN EARTHQUAKE!" Pressing Quistis' face against his chest to shield her, he lunged for the doorway as the room shook harder, the furniture literally moving. Outside, screams and sirens could be heard as the entire city began to convulse on itself.

Cloud threw himself to his knees in the doorway, his body bent over Quistis' as the window behind them suddenly shattered inward, glass shards flying around the room, cutting through the fabric of his shirt and biting into the skin of his back, his arms, his face. He heard a loud crash coming from the other room, but he didn't move, his eyes squeezed shut as he curled up in a ball around his daughter. For a moment, he had a flash of Cosmo Canyon, and pictured the Neo-Shinra headquarters folding in on itself like an accordion, crashing to the ground.

And then the shaking stopped.

Cautiously, Cloud opened his eyes, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. Slowly he straightened up, wincing from the fine cuts from the glass that had hit him. He looked down. "Quisty? Are you okay?"

She looked up at him with huge eyes, nodding slowly but not saying anything. He didn't blame her at all for going mute again, not after that.

"Thank god," he muttered, hugging her tightly. A little unsteadily, he got to his feet, keeping a tight grip on her. "Tifa?" he called as he made his way out into the living room. "Seifer?"

"In here," a muffled voice called from the bathroom. The door cracked open slightly, and Tifa poked her head out. She had a bloody cut on her forehead, but she didn't seem to notice it. Seifer was curled up in her arms, his green eyes wide as they peered out of the blanket he was wrapped in.

"Are you okay?" Cloud asked, going over to her and wrapping one arm around her shoulders, hugging her to him along with Quisty. "Your forehead…"

"What?" Tifa blinked, then turned slightly to look in the bathroom mirror. She winced. "I must've hit my head on the bathroom counter…I slipped."

Cloud stepped over a broken lamp and grabbed a towel from the bathroom, wetting it and pressing it against Tifa's forehead. "You should get that looked at."

She reached up, holding Seifer with one arm and pressing the cloth against her cut, shaking her head. "Later," she insisted. "We need to find the others."

Cloud nodded, though he still looked at her forehead worriedly. But already the bleeding had stopped.

Keeping his arm around Tifa's shoulders, they made their way to the door, stepping over overturned furniture and broken glass until they reached it. Cloud reached out and pushed it open, and the two of them stepped out into the hallway with the children.

They stopped dead in their tracks.

There was a large window spanning the length of the hallway opposite their doors. It reached from floor to ceiling, and had a perfect view of the city that headquarters towered over. The view stretched for miles off in the distance, as far as they could see.

It was one of those rare days when the moon was visible in the sky even during the day. None of them had taken notice of that earlier.

Now they did.

The moon still hung in the sky.

But now it was blood red.


	42. Timequake, Part Two

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Forty-Two: Timequake, Part Two**

"You look like you're thinking heavy thoughts."

Quistis jumped slightly, turning on the balcony to see Seifer standing behind her. She smiled slightly at him. "I guess I am," she said. "I'm feeling pretty edgy."

"I don't blame you," Seifer replied. "Seeing those images…" He walked forward and stood next to her, leaning against the balcony railing and looking down. The Canyon was literally overrun with Guardians attempting to repair what had been destroyed during the swarm attack. "Are you sure what we saw is real?"

Quistis looked at him as she leaned her back against the railing. "You mean, our parents?" she asked softly.

Seifer nodded, his face expressionless, the few strands of green hair falling into his face, slightly longer than the rest. "Yeah," he said. "Rinoa is preparing to take us to the Pillar – but we know it has to be a trap, because Linra_ showed _them to us. But there's no guarantee she really has them…"

"But if there's the slightest chance, we have to take it," Quistis said, reaching out and putting her hand on his arm. "Wouldn't you want to know for sure?"

He was quiet for a moment – then he sighed, and nodded. "Yeah," he said, looking down at the ground. "I would."

Quistis smiled, squeezing his arm gently. "I never thought the day would come when you would actually agree with me," she teased.

Seifer looked up, and laughed. Quistis' eyes widened slightly – she'd never seen Seifer really laugh, and his whole face seemed to light up with an expression of little-boy-joy – he threw his head back, his hair flying around his face as he laughed, throwing himself into it completely. She smiled wider at the sight. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Just thinking that you better not get used to it," Seifer said, turning to her and hitting her on her shoulder, grinning. "I didn't listen or agree with you before because you were my instructor, and I'm not to listen or agree with you _now_ because you're my sister."

Quistis put her hands on her hips and glared at him, but the giddy look on his face melted the glare within seconds. "You and Squall and those damned puppy eyes of yours," she said, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "When you weren't trying to kill each other, you were taking lessons from each other on how to get away with anything."

Seifer smirked. "But I'm still better than him."

"I'm not going to answer that," Quistis replied, arching an eyebrow at her brother.

"Aw, come on…" Seifer cut himself off when the door to the room opened, and Zell walked into the room, looking like he was in desperate need of a nap. "Oh, hey, Zell." He was rewarded with a blush on Quistis' face and a startled look on Zell's.

"Oh…Seifer," Zell said, walking over to the couch and flopping down on it as Quistis and Seifer walked in from the balcony. "I didn't know you were in here."

"You'd have to be psychic or something to know that," Seifer said dryly, "especially with a closed door."

Zell rested his head on the arm of the couch and looked at Seifer through half-lidded eyes. "Seifer, no offense, but I'm really not in the mood for your sense of humor right now. Don't piss me off, this is my room, remember?"

Quistis' eyebrows rose slightly – Zell hadn't referred to this set of rooms as 'his' since they'd arrived at Cosmo Canyon. Had something happened? "Seifer?" she asked, looking at the other blond. "Could you…?" she motioned to the open door.

Seifer blinked for a moment, then grinned. "Oh, I get it," he said, a teasing lilt in his voice. "Sure. I'll take a hike. You kids have fun." He winked at Quistis, then ducked the swing she aimed at his head. Laughing, he scampered out of the room, closing the door behind him and just missing being hit by a couch pillow Zell threw in his direction.

"Asshole," Zell muttered, rolling his eyes and sitting up.

Quistis laughed softly, walking over to the couch and sitting down next to Zell. "He has his moments, but he's gotten better. He's stopped calling you Chickenwuss, in case you haven't noticed."

"Give him time, he'll come up with something else," Zell replied, leaning back and adjusting the vest he wore, which hung open and showed off the muscles of his chest and stomach. "Scary, I think I'm getting used to the way the Guardians dress."

Quistis tore her eyes away from Zell's chest, blushing slightly. She looked up to see Zell grinning at her impishly. "What?" she asked defensively.

"Nothing," Zell replied, still grinning. Quistis couldn't help smiling, shaking her head slightly.

"Anyway," Zell said after a moment. "You wanted Seifer out of here for a reason, so spill. Knowing you, it wasn't just because you wanted to be alone with me."

"You were talking to Savannah, weren't you?" Quistis asked. "Before you came here."

Zell stared straight ahead, falling silent. He sighed softly. "Yeah, I was," he said, nodding. "The Guardian Council wanted to know what our plan was, and wanted to offer their assistance. There wasn't much I could tell them – I've got no clue what Rinoa is planning, though I hope she'll be ready soon. She's been sleeping for almost an entire day already, and I'm getting anxious. We have no way to contact the others, either – Irvine said that Squall, Selphie, and Tera are heading there, too, but if they'll be there by the time _we_ arrive – ah, it's just such a mess."

"How's it going with the Council?" Quistis asked.

"Well, it's a little disorganized right now, with Rhys turning traitor and all," Zell replied. "Fortunately, most of the Council is loyal to Savannah, and those that I suspect aren't one hundred percent behind her are at least going to keep out of it and not cause anymore trouble. Mostly the dividing is on me. Even after that last battle, there are still Guardians who don't think Savannah should be so hasty in proclaiming me her heir."

"You're awfully calm about all of this," Quistis replied. "A few days ago you practically chewed someone's head off if they mentioned you being her heir." She looked at him quietly, waiting for his response.

"It's scary, how much I'm getting used to this place," Zell said. He stood up and clasped his hands behind his back, pacing in front of her. "I mean, Ma's my mom all the way, she raised me – but all my life, I always had this feeling that I was different. This mark on my face, I told everyone it was a tattoo because I didn't want them to tease me about it. But there were other things – I was faster, stronger, more agile than most of the other kids in my martial arts class. Gymnastics came naturally to me – I landed a flip perfectly the first time I tried. I could hear better, and smell better, and see in the dark – I felt like such a freak.

"And then I get here, and suddenly I find out that I'm not a freak, I'm just not human. And I don't feel so alone anymore. The people here, they can do exactly what I can do, they understand my way of thinking, and they look like me." He raised his hand to his face, touching the mark on his cheek. "There's an enchantment on the Council room, Quistis – any Guardian that walks in there in human form reverts to lion form immediately. I changed. Suddenly I had fur, and paws, and a tail…and I felt completely at home in that form." He looked at Quistis, and she was shocked to see unshed tears in his eyes. "I feel like I'm losing who I am, Quisty. I don't know who I am anymore. I feel like I'm not Zell…like I'm something else."

Quistis reached out and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "You _are_ Zell," she said softly, stroking his hair. "Who you are is who you make yourself be. So what if you feel comfortable being a Guardian? You _are_ a Guardian, Zell, by blood at least. It makes sense that you'd feel at home here."

He rested his head on her shoulder, letting her hug him, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her so that she was sitting in his lap. "I'm not human, Quisty," he said softly. "I can't pretend that anymore. I may look human…but I'm not. But I'm not a Guardian, not completely. I don't know their ways – look at all the trouble I've caused already. I'm tearing apart their culture, because Savannah wants me to take over after her, but I don't know how."

"I'm not human either, Zell," Quistis said softly, cupping his cheek. He raised his head to look at her, and realized that her eyes were glowing slightly. "My mother was half-Cetra, my father was the victim of genetic tests. I'm probably less human than you are – but I'm still Quistis. What I am doesn't matter – it's who I am that counts." She smiled at him. "The first thing you need to do is decide whether or not you really want to be Savannah's heir. Is there anything that says you _have_ to take over after her?"

Zell shook his head.

"Then there isn't any reason for you to do it unless you're ready," she replied. "Learn more about the Guardians, get to know the people. If, after you've taken a good look at this part of your heritage, you still feel in the way, then make a decision. But not before then. It's okay to feel comfortable here with people who are like you, but you don't have to rule them." She leaned down and brushed her lips against his.

"And when I do choose…if I decide to stay?" Zell asked softly, looking at her.

"This isn't a bad place to live," Quistis said, resting her forehead against his. He started to speak, and she touched her finger to his lips. "And before you ask, no, I'm not saying that because of any obligations I feel our parents forced on us by betrothing us when we were babies. No one can tell me what to do with my life. I'm with you because I want to be, not because I feel like I have to be."

"Damn…why the hell are you so smart?" Zell asked softly, cupping the back of her head and pulling her down for a long, deep kiss that sent shivers through both of them.

When they pulled back, both of their faces were flushed, and they were both breathing heavily as they looked at each other. Quistis ran her fingers over Zell's mark, tracing the outline of the pattern with her fingers. "I love you," she said softly, looking into his eyes.

He raised his hand, covering hers. "I love you," he replied, drawing her hand to his lips, and kissing her fingers lightly. Quistis blushed, especially when he playfully nipped the tip of one of her fingers, then sucked on it lightly. A shiver went through her, and she mewled softly. "Z-zell…"

Whatever she had been about to say was drowned out suddenly by a loud howl that came in through the open balcony door. It was almost immediately joined by several dozen other howls outside. "What the…?" Zell's eyes fell on the table, where a half-full glass of water was slowly working its way to the edge of the table. It hovered on the edge for a moment – and then the room began to shake, and the glass slammed into the floor, breaking into several thousand pieces.

But it didn't matter by then, because the entire room seemed to be trying to mimic the glass. "An earthquake?!" Zell exclaimed, tightening his arms around Quistis. "Shit…Quistis, we gotta take cover…Quistis?" He looked at her, and his eyes widened. Quistis was clinging to him, her face pressed against his chest, soft whimpers escaping from her throat as she shook violently in his arms. "Quistis!"

There was a groan, and Zell looked up just in time to see the large bookshelf behind the couch sway, and then fall forward, directly on top of them. He didn't hesitate, throwing himself and Quistis forward onto the ground, shielding her with his body as the shelf fell onto the couch, the wood splintering on impact.

And then the earthquake stopped.

Quistis was still trembling, but her eyes were open, and she seemed to be more aware. "Quistis?" Zell whispered. "Are you okay?"

Quistis looked at him, and realized she had a death grip on his shirt. "I-I am fine," she said shakily, her voice barely above a whisper. "What was that…and earthquake?"

"I think so," Zell said. "I've never felt one before…what about you?"

Quistis shook her head. "No…but I was terrified, for some reason." She swallowed hard. "Why are we on the floor…"

"Bookshelf nearly fell on us," Zell replied, pulling himself to his feet and pulling her up with him. "Come on – we need to find the others…" His voice trailed off as he looked at the doorway to the balcony. Quistis turned to look as well.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared up at the moon that hung over the horizon. What was the moon doing visible in the middle of the day? It made no sense. But it was there…and it was blood red.

"Timequake," she whispered, not knowing where the word came from, but knowing it just the same.

Zell looked at her. "What did you…"

The door flew open, and Irvine appeared in the doorway, a cut on his cheek but otherwise looking fine. "You two okay?" he asked, a little breathlessly.

Zell and Quistis turned to him, nodding. "Did you see…?"

"The moon? Hell yeah," Irvine said, shuddering. "That thing is just creepy…no one was hurt in the quake, though. Savannah's called an emergency council though – and we're all invited."

"That was quick," Quistis said, looking at Zell. Zell nodded, frowning.

"She sent me to get you two, so let's go," Irvine said. "Seifer and Rinoa already went. And oh, yeah…Rinoa's finished preparing to take us to the Tower." He looked at the moon framed in the window behind them. "And not a moment too soon, I'd say."


	43. Crossing Time

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Forty-Three: Crossing Time**

"Cloud!"

Cloud looked up at the sound of Barrett's voice, and saw the large man pushing his way through the crowd that was assembling outside of the Shinra building, staring up at the red moon. Cloud hurried down the steps from the main door, Quistis clinging to him as he made his way to Barrett.

"Are you okay?" the two of them asked in unison when they made it to each other.

Cloud nodded. "We're fine," he said as Tifa and Reeve joined them. "Where's everyone else?"

"I saw Red and Savannah other there," Barrett said, pointing off to the right. "Haven't seen Vincent or any of the Turks."

"I sent them to do crowd control," Reeve replied, running a hand through his hair. He looked up at the moon. "What do you make of that?" he asked.

"All I know is that it's the damn freakiest thing I've ever seen," Barrett said. "It's gotta be the Sorceress' doing."

"But the question is, _what_ kind of doing?" Tifa said worriedly. "What is the Sorceress planning?"

Cloud looked up at the red moon silently, listening to the amazed exclamations and the fearful cries of the people moving around them. Quistis had fallen silent again, but he knew that she was also staring at the moon, and fearfully, from the trembling in her body that she could feel.

Cloud closed his eyes, clenching his jaw. _We don't know what the Sorceress is planning…but there's someone else who does. _"HYNE!" Cloud shouted, looking up at the moon and startling everyone near him. "SHOW YOURSELF, HYNE! I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, DON'T YOU?! ANSWER ME!"

"Cloud…" Tifa said softly, looking at him with wide eyes.

"Cloud, calm down," Barrett said, looking at the blonde in alarm.

He ignored both of them, tightening his arms around Quistis. "_ANSWER ME, HYNE!_"

And then everything went white.

When Cloud's eyes focused again, he found himself standing in a white abyss, Quistis still in his arms. Everyone else was gone, but he wasn't alone.

As if on queue, a young woman materialized in front of him, wearing a simple silver robe and a tiara around her head. "What have you called me here for, Cloud Strife?" Hyne asked, her voice soft. "I've told you what you need to know to find Linra – there's no other help that I can give you."

"That's a lie," Cloud replied, glaring at her. "You know more than what you're telling us. The moon, the earthquake, the disappearance of my friends…what's going on?!"

Hyne looked at him, then looked away. "I can't tell you anymore than I already have," she said softly. "I'm sorry. But I've already interfered in this world as much as I can."

"Interfered?" Cloud repeated. "You helped us once, Hyne, why won't you do it again? We need Sephiroth and Aeris to get into the Promised Land. You told us we needed the living Cetra in this world to open the barrier."

"You have the living Cetra in this world with you," Hyne replied, shaking her head. "You hold one of them in your arms."

"The children are _not_ getting involved in this," Cloud growled fiercely.

"The children are already involved in this," Hyne said, walking towards him. She eyed him critically. "This is a fight for your planet's survival, Cloud Strife. The Cetra are the Planet's protectors – Linra will do whatever is necessary to ensure that they are unable to protect the Planet. She has already removed Aeris and Sephiroth as factors, but she knows that as long as Seifer and Quistis are alive, her hold over this Planet is fragile. You should be prepared to do what you need to do."

Cloud clenched his jaw, his blue eyes flashing angrily. "Where are Aeris, Cid, and Sephiroth?"

"They are on the Planet," Hyne replied. "But they are no longer within this Time – you've already come to this conclusion yourself."

"But how is that possible?"

"You already know that Linra is attempting to harness Time Compression and bring all realms of time together in one location," Hyne said. "She has not yet _fully_ mastered this, but she has achieved some element of it. As a result, she is able to move certain people and things through time, so that they exist in one reality, or in all realities. She's focusing particularly on a timeline 500 years into the future."

"500 years?" Cloud's eyes widened. "What's 500 years from now?"

Hyne shook her head. "I do not know," she said. "But there may be someone else you know who can find out. Now. I have told you all that I can know. The rest is for you to discover. But I warn you, Cloud Strife – the longer you take in deciding on a course of action, the more Linra will manipulate the strands of time. There will be more time quakes such as the one you just experienced, and eventually, they will tear about the strands of Time themselves. It isn't just your Planet that is in danger now – you know hold the fate of the past, the present, and the future in your hands.

"Think about what I've said carefully. You're the only one who can make the final decisions." Hyne stepped back, and began to fade.

"Wait!" Cloud exclaimed. "Hyne…wait!" He reached out to try and grab her, but instead of grabbing Hyne's robe, his hand came down on Barrett's shoulder.

"Whoa, there, Spike!" Barrett said. "You need to just relax – you're freaking everyone out."

Cloud looked around, and saw Reeve and Tifa looked at him worriedly. They'd been joined by Red and Savannah, who were staring up at him curiously.

"What happened, Cloud?" Tifa asked. "One moment you were calling out to Hyne, and the next, you were completely off in your own world. So was Quistis."

"I saw Hyne," Cloud replied, looking around at his friends. "She told me what happened to Aeris, Sephiroth, and Cid."

Reeve raised his eyebrows. "What did she say?"

"Linra's moved them through time," Cloud said. "They're five hundred years into the future, and according to Hyne, that's the area of time that Linra seems to be focusing on. But she doesn't know what's so important about this particular time."

"Five hundred years…?" Tifa repeated, her eyes widening. "Oh, wow. That's not good."

"I have the feeling that there's something very important about that time," Cloud said, stroking Quistis' hair as she rested her head on his shoulder. "We need to find out what it is. Maybe then, if we can figure out what Linra's goal is, we can figure out how to stop her without risking anyone else."

"But how?" Red wondered, looking at over at Savannah. "It isn't as if we can look in a book. That history hasn't been written yet."

Cloud's shoulders slumped slightly. "I know," he said, sighing. "Hyne said someone I know might be able to help – but I have no idea who that could be."

But even as he said that, he realized that it wasn't true. He looked down at Savannah. "Savannah, your clan held the secret of Time Compression, right? What do you know?"

Savannah blinked. "M-me?" she asked. She shook her head slightly. "I really don't know much – I know how it's supposed to work, but I don't know how to manipulate it. I wouldn't know where to begin to try and get Aeris and the others back."

"Do you know anyone in your clan who might? I know it's risky, with your father on the Sorceress' side – but think. Is there _anyone_ we can trust?" Cloud looked at her pleadingly.

Savannah hesitated slightly, glancing sideways at Red, who was looking at her earnestly. "Well…there might be one person," she said.

"Who?" Red asked.

"My brother."

* * *

Savannah stood on the balcony of her room at Cosmo Canyon, her eyes focused on the blood red moon looming in the sky. A shiver went through her.

"Savannah?"

Jumping slightly, she turned to face the Guardian who had come into her room. He was staring at her with dark eyes, his entire body almost blending in with the darkness of her room, except for the blood red fire of his tail and mane.

"Tevrow," she said, relieved. "What are you doing here?" She suddenly drew in a sharp breath. "Is Zell okay?! Was he hurt?"

"Relax, Savannah," Tevrow said, stepping forward and nudging her with his nose. "The little Nanaki, his mate, and their friends are fine. Shaken up, but fine, though the earthquake unnerved Quistis and Seifer a bit."

"That isn't surprising," Savannah said, shaking her head. "They went through it before, after all."

"You're certain it's another time quake, then?" Tevrow asked.

Savannah shook her head. "No, Tev. I'm certain it's the _same_ time quake. It fits. Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cid are here, from the past, now. That time quake was to signal a disruption in the time flow. If we don't return them to their proper time, everything could fall apart."

Tevrow looked grim. "What do we do, then? The children can't go to the Pillar now, not in this situation…"

"That's just it," Savannah replied, looking at him. "They _have_ to go. They need to be there, now, more than ever." She was quiet for a moment, then sighed. "I haven't mentioned this to anyone yet, but I suspect I know where the base of that Pillar lies."

"Where?"

"One of the few places untouched by time," she replied. "The Crater. Or, rather, the location of the Crater as it was 500 years ago." She sighed. "Now I know what you were trying to explain to me back then, when I came to you for help.

"That time isn't something that can be taken lightly, and the slightest change could have disastrous consequences." Tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, Tev…this is all our fault. _All_ our fault. If we hadn't meddled in time back then…"

"Don't think that way," Tevrow said softly, nuzzling her. "We couldn't have known that this would be the result. And perhaps we didn't mess it up. Perhaps we've helped it. Our presence here, right now, may be just the thing we need in the past to make this work. We know what happened in the past – now it's up to us to make sure that it succeeds in the future. We'll get through this, Savannah."

Savannah hung her head. "I hope so, my brother," she said softly.


	44. Reunion at the Pillar

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Forty-Four: Reaching the Pillar**

The five of them stood together, facing each other. The red moon hovered above them, and the Guardians stood assembled around them, watching them silently.

"Well," Seifer said after a moment. "Here we are."

Zell nodded, folding his arms over his chest. "You sure you can do this, Rinoa?" he asked, looking at the young Sorceress.

"I'm pretty sure," Rinoa said, looking a little hesitant. "I mean, I've never tried a transportation spell like this before, but I know how to cast it. And since I'm a Sorceress myself, I should be able to get through Linra's shields and into the Pillar itself. Or pretty close to it."

"For our sake, it better be close," said Quistis. "We don't know where the Pillar is." Irvine nodded in agreement.

"What about aiming us for the Ragnarok?" Zell asked Rinoa. "We know its heading for the Pillar."

"But we don't know exactly where they are," Rinoa replied, biting her lip. "It's easier to focus on a stationary target than a moving one. No, the Pillar is our best chance of this spell working correctly."

"Besides," Savannah said as she walked up to them, and the five of them turned to look at her, "the Pillar is also your best chance at finding Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cid." She sat down and looked at Seifer and Quistis. "I know you were thinking of it."

Seifer and Quistis glanced at each other, then looked down. "I know it's silly," Quistis said softly. "I mean, we don't even know if what we saw is real…"

"It's real," Savannah said quietly.

Zell turned to look at her. "You're keeping something from us," he said, frowning.

Savannah sighed, sitting down and curled her tail around her legs, looking up at them. "I should have told you this sooner," she said, "but you see, things can get complicated when it comes to time."

"You don't have to tell us twice," Irvine said, putting his good hand on his hip. "We've dealt with enough time to drive anyone crazy."

"Yes, well." Savannah looked at them. "Five hundred years ago, when AVALANCHE was facing off against Linra, she kidnapped Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cid. Cloud discovered that the three of them had been sent five hundred years into the future – and we now know that this is true. They were sent forward, to _this_ time.

"This means that Linra has, at some point, already achieved Time Compression," Savannah continued. "Whether it is in this time, or in the past, I do not know – all that matters is that she's done it. She hasn't completely mastered it yet, or else we'd feel the immediate effects – but she will. I can assure you of that."

"So those really were them?" Seifer asked.

Savannah nodded. "Yes," she said softly. "It really was. And now it's up to you to rescue them. They _must_ be returned to their proper time."

"How do we do that?" Zell asked. "None of us know anything about time travel."

"Time Compression." Savannah turned her head to look at Tevrow as he stepped up to stand beside her. He looked at Zell. "They were brought here by Time Compression, and it's the only way they're going to be able to get back."

"But how…?" Irvine shook his head. "So you're saying that to get them back to the past, we have to let Time Compression happen – but if we let Time Compression happen, then we're letting Linra have exactly what she wants. Pardon me if I seem _skeptical_."

"I don't blame you for being confused," Tevrow said. "I don't know how we're going to be able to achieve Time Compression without letting Linra succeed in her goals, but the most important thing at this moment is freeing Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cid. We have a window of time in which their presence here won't effect any changes, but if we pass that, it could begin to have a dangerous effect on our time."

"How big is this window?" Zell asked, frowning. "How much time do we have?"

"A few days at most," Tevrow replied. At the expressions on their faces, he nodded. "I know, it doesn't seem like very much time, does it? But it's the best estimation we can manage. Any longer, and we may end up cutting it too close."

"Then we better get started," Seifer said quietly. He looked at his friends, and they nodded to him. "Rinoa?"

"Form a circle," Rinoa said. "Everyone who's going, join hands."

Savannah and Tevrow took a few steps back, letting the five teenagers join hands and form a circle, all of them looking at Rinoa as they did so.

Rinoa closed her eyes, and began to silently chant something, her voices so quiet that no one could make out a word she was saying. At first, nothing seemed to happen. There seemed to be no change at all.

Then a breeze began to kick up, growing stronger as it whipped around the five of them, kicking up dust and bits of grass and leaves that swirled around them like a whirlwind. Bits of electricity and light began to crackle and shine between the debris, their occurrences increasing as the wind increased as well. The light began to overtake anything else, and everyone watching had to turn their heads away and squint to keep from being blinded.

Then the light shot upwards, into the sky, and vanished a moment later.

Savannah looked up after it. "Be careful," she whispered softly.

* * *

The light shot down from the sky, hitting the Pillar and then vanishing, leaving Seifer, Quistis, Irvine, Rinoa, and Zell in a heap on the cold stone floor.

"Ow," Irvine groaned, pulling himself to his feet and wincing. "That was a worse landing than I needed. Thanks Rinoa."

"Sorry," Rinoa said apologetically as Seifer helped her to her feet. "At least we're in the Pillar, right?"

"At least," Quistis replied dryly, holding out her hand to Zell so that he could get up as well. He took it and stood up, looking around.

They were in the middle of a long corridor that seemed to stretch into darkness. The only lights were an odd ethereal stream that stretched along the length, where the tops of the walls met the ceiling. Whether this light was caused by technology or magic, it was impossible to tell, but the faint glow that it gave off was both eerie and beautiful at the same time.

"Is anyone else apprehensive about going down there?" Rinoa asked, her voice hushed.

"I think you'd be a fool if you weren't," Irvine said, his hand going to his weapon and pulling it from its holster, cocking it and holding it ready. He was the only one who was armed. "I wish Squall would get here."

"Why?" Seifer asked. "Don't think we can handle this?"

"He's got all of your weapons," Irvine replied. "Right now, I'm the only one with any means of defense in this place."

That realization made the others look at each other nervously.

Zell cracked his knuckles, a determined look on his face. "We've all been trained in hand-to-hand combat," he said. "We'll do whatever is necessary to protect ourselves in this place. Now let's go. Stick close together. We've got a lot of ground to cover."

"Do you think Linra knows we're here?" Quistis asked as they began to move down the hallway, Zell in the lead, Irvine bringing up the rear.

"It wouldn't surprise me in the least," Seifer replied from behind her. He glanced at the walls, as if he were expecting them to suddenly grow eyes and ears, reporting everything they did and said back to the Sorceress. "We better be careful."

"No arguments here," Zell muttered. Suddenly he stopped. "Ne, do you hear that?"

He stopped so quickly that Quistis and Rinoa both ran into him, nearly toppling him off the feet. Seifer and Irvine checked themselves both in time, and they managed to not all end up sprawled out on the ground.

"What the hell?" Seifer growled. "What's the big idea, Furball?"

Zell glared at Seifer. "Don't call me Furball," he growled. "And I thought I heard something, that's what. Now be quiet and tell me if you hear anything."

Seifer opened his mouth to argue, but then he paused. Scowling, he closed his mouth, and fell silent, straining his ears.

And faintly, from further down the hall, he could just barely make out the sound of footsteps.

"Irvine," Seifer said quietly, taking a step back to let the sniper forward. "Up ahead. Footsteps, one pair. Check it out."

The authoritative tone in voice brought up no arguments from Irvine, and he nodded, lifting his gun and moving forward, glancing at it to make sure he had a GF equipped. Diablos, good. He didn't know how much use it would be in such a closed space, but it was better than nothing.

Further down the hall, it split off into a T-junction, the odd lights casting shadows around both corners. The footsteps seemed to be coming from the right, and Irvine stepped to the side and pressed his back against the wall, raising the Exeter up, his finger on the trigger. The footsteps came closer, moving cautiously, and Irvine held his breath.

When the footsteps were almost at the junction, Irvine ducked out from around the corner, lifting his weapon up and aiming it point-blank at the person's forehead.

"Whoa, whoa, fuck, whoa!" a startled voice exclaimed, as a tall blonde man raised his hands in defense. "I'm unarmed!"

Irvine looked startled – he'd expected one the Sorceress' monsters, or maybe that ass Rhys. He tightened his grip on the Exeter, keeping his finger steady on the trigger. "Who are you?" he asked. He couldn't quite make out the man's features in the darkness.

"I'm guessing you're not one of that bitch's yes-men if you don't know that, then," the man said.

Irvine frowned. "Bitch?" he repeated. "I take it you mean Linra?"

"Yeah, that's what I said," the man replied. "Bitch. Now could you get that damn gun out of my face? Damn, Vincent was never this fuckin' trigger-happy."

Irvine started, taking a step back from the man. "Vincent?" he repeated. "Vincent Valentine?"

"Don't know any other Vincents," was the reply. "Now could you _get_ that thing outta my face, damn it!"

"Irvine?" Seifer called down the hallway. "What's going on?"

Irvine took another step back, and lowered the gun. The man breathed a sigh of relief, and now Irvine could see him clearly. "Cid Highwind?" he asked in disbelief.

And now Cid could see Irvine clearly. "You're one of them!" he said in surprise. "From my dream!"

Irvine blinked. "Dream…?"

Cid shook his head. "No, never mind," he said. "Forget I said anything. Yeah, I'm Cid Highwind. How the hell did you know that?"

"Considering that we're here to find you, it makes sense we'd know who you are," Irvine replied.

"Irvine!"

Irvine sighed irritably and stepped back further so that he could see the others. "Found one!" he called, motioning for Cid to come forward. "He was just…wandering the halls, I guess."

"Actually, I was trying to find my way back to the room I left my friends in," Cid replied. "But I think I got lost somewhere along the way."

Seifer, Quistis, Zell, and Rinoa stared at him. "Well," Zell said after a moment. "is finding all three of them going to be this easy?"

"All three?" Cid repeated. "Oh, you mean Sephiroth and Aeris, too. Hope you know where they are, then, because I haven't the faintest idea anymore." He looked at them. "Now, let me make sure I've got this right. Zell, Rinoa, Quistis, and Seifer."

Rinoa's eyes widened. "How did you…?"

"I had a dream, okay?" Cid said irritably. "Saw all of you in it. Don't know how much of it was real, but you're here, and I know that kid Squall and the girl Selphie are real, too, 'cause I saw them on a security camera – don't ask me how the witch got a camera into that ship, but she did, she's got them all over the damn world. What?" He'd just noticed that they were staring at him, dumbfounded.

"A camera?"

"A dream?"

"The hell?"

"I'm confused."

"So you know who we are?" Seifer looked at Cid intently, his eyes narrowed.

"Only your names and what you look like," Cid replied, shrugging. "Other than that, nothing." He looked at Quistis and Seifer. "Though I've got a few suspicions…mind confirming them?"

Quistis and Seifer glanced at each other, then nodded slightly.

"You two," Cid said, pointing at Seifer, then at Quistis, "weren't born in this time. Were you?"

They shook their head. "No, we weren't," Quistis replied.

Cid grinned. "I _knew_ it was too much of a fucking coincidence that you had the same names as those kids," he said. "Though how you ended up five hundred years into the future…yeesh. Time travel. Ugh." He shook his head. He looked at Irvine, Rinoa, and Zell. "You three, I don't know anything about…"

"We're not from this time either – but let's start moving while we explain," Zell said, running his hand through his hair. "Staying in one place won't get us anywhere."

Cid nodded in agreement, and pointed down the T-junction to the right. "Let's go that way," he said. "I already went down the hallway, and didn't find Sephiroth and Aeris that way. I can't believe I got lost. I didn't go far at all."

As a group, they fell into step, with Irvine once again taking up the rear, and Cid and Zell in the lead together this time. Zell began to explain to Cid what they knew about their origins.

"According to what we've been told, all of us were born back in your time," Zell said to Cid. "Just like Seifer and Quistis, Irvine, Rinoa, and I – as well as Selphie and Seifer's friend Tera – are all children of AVALANCHE."

Cid looked startled. "Children of AVALANCHE?" he repeated. "Wait, you mean, all of you…?"

Rinoa nodded. "If we'd grown up in the time we were born in, I'd be Rinoa Strike, Irvine's last name would be Valentine…"

"And I'd be Zellphirus of the Cosmo Canyon Clan," Zell finished. "As if turned out, before most of us were a year old, we ended up getting sent through a black hole or something in space, and wound up five hundred years into the future."

"A black hole?" Cid repeated, his eyes widening slightly. "How'd you manage that?"

"More like how'd our _parents_ manage that," Irvine replied. "We were babies. You…or you in about a year your time…finished construction of a spaceship called the Ragnarok. On its maiden voyage, you and the rest of the members of AVALANCHE decided to crew it personally."

Cid looked stunned. "Ragnarok?" he repeated. "I was working on the plans for it when the Highwind crashed…"

"Well, you completed it," Seifer said. "And it launched, with us and our parents on board. But something attacked the ship – whether it had anything to do with the Sorceress or whether it was completely unrelated no one seems to know – and the ship was thrown into the black hole."

"When it came out," Quistis said, taking up the story, "the Ragnarok was spiraling out of control towards the planet. The creatures that had attacked the ship were still alive…most of our parents weren't." She bit her lip slightly, remembering the spirit of her father, which seemed to have disappeared from this plane entirely. "Your future self and Savannah managed to get all of us to the Highwind, which was on the Ragnarok as something of an escape vessel, and crash-landed on the planet, leaving the ship in orbit."

"We all got split up around then," Rinoa said. "I got separated in the crash, and ended up being found by a traveler who took me to Deling City, where a man named Thomas Caraway and his wife Julia took me in and raised me as their own daughter."

"The rest of us were taken to various places to be raised," Zell said. "Savannah took off to try and find if there were any other surviving Guardians in this age, and you tried to assimilate yourself into this new society, and ended up opening an orphanage with a woman named Edea, who you also married. Then war broke out, leaving several children orphaned – including all of us. And we all, with the exception of Rinoa, ended up back at that orphanage, even though we had no memory of each other."

"I…I think I can fill in the rest," Cid said quietly, thinking back to his dream. "You grew up. Some of you were adopted out to other families – Zell to the Dinchts in Balamb, Irvine to a family in Galbadia, and Selphie went to Trabia. But you all ended up meeting again at Balamb Garden, a military academy that…"

"You started, though by that time you were calling yourself Cid Kramer," Quistis finished. "How…?"

"That dream I was babbling about before," Cid said, shrugging. "It started up at some point in the orphanage, but at least now I understand…or sort of understand…" Then a chill went down his spine. "You said that my friends...died?"

"That's what we were told," Rinoa said softly, biting her lip. "And I suppose it's true enough…we've met up with some of them as spirits…"

"But they seem to have all disappeared now," Quistis added, glancing at Seifer. He nodded slightly, knowing she was thinking about their parents. "And they didn't leave anything behind…well, except for this." She reached into her pocket, and pulled out a small white sphere. "But I don't know what it is."

"Where'd you get that?" Zell asked, looking over his shoulder at it curiously.

"The night I slept at your house," Quistis said to him. "I thought I saw Sephiroth…or his spirit. I didn't know who he was at the time, but now I'm almost certain that's who it was. He gave me this…"

Cid stopped and turned to look, and his eyes went so wide, they almost fell out of his head. "That's…that's Materia!" he exclaimed in shock.

"Materia?" they all repeated, perplexed.

"Can I?" He held out his hand, and Quistis placed it in the middle of his palm. He raised the small stone up to look at it. "That's definitely Materia, all right. And I know I've seen this one before. If I'm not mistaken, this is the White Materia. The Materia that Aeris used to call Holy when Seph – when she died." He looked at it in amazement. "We thought it'd been lost…"

"Do you mean that this is something…something we could use?" Quistis asked, looking perplexed. "This small stone…?"

"Materia is the source of power in our time," Cid replied. "It's where all of our magic comes from. I'd say this is definitely something that we could use. We better find Aeris and Sephiroth – they'd know more about this than I would." He handed it back to Quistis, then turned to head back down the hallway.

And stopped, his eyes widening. "Oh fuck."

All eyes turned, and Zell drew in a sharp breath at the sight of the creature standing in the middle of the hallway, several feet away from them. It seemed to be made out of all arms, legs, and claws, with two sunken red eyes in a black skull. Oily saliva dripped from fang-filled jaws, and loud clicking sound emanated from its throat every time it breathed.

Irvine's gun was up and pointed almost immediately. "What the hell is that?" he exclaimed, violet eyes widening as he stared at the creature.

"That," Cid said, taking a step back and desperately wishing he had his Venus Gospel, "is what brought me here in the first place. It's one of Linra's pets."

"Pets?" Zell exclaimed. "Pets? Whatever happened to puppies and kittens!"

"It looks like a Propagator," Rinoa said shakily. "An immature form."

"A what?" Seifer asked.

"One of those things Squall and I fought on the Ragnarok when we found it," she answered. She knew in a sharp breath. "Which means there's another one."

The clacking of claws on the floor behind them backed up what she said. They didn't need to turn around to know they were surrounded.

Zell clenched his fists and raised them, moving into a fighting stance.

"You aren't seriously going to fight them!" Cid exclaimed, shocked when he saw that that was just what they intended to do. "You don't have any weapons!"

"We don't need weapons," was Quistis' terse reply. "Fan out. Irvine, Zell, and Rinoa, take the front. Seifer, you're with me on the back."

Seifer nodded briskly, falling back and turning as if he'd done it a thousand times before. Years of SeeD training had not been lost during his sojourn as a Sorceress' Knight. His green eyes shone with excitement, and it was clear that he enjoyed the prospect of a fight.

"We have to kill them at the same time," Rinoa said as she moved up to stand with Zell and Irvine. "Otherwise, the one will just revive the other."

"Great," Irvine muttered, raising the Exeter as the Propagator moved towards them, oily saliva dripping from its fangs. Without warning, a loud bang filled the hallway as Irvine let loose, firing a string of bullets at the Propagator's blackened skull. The creature reared by with a painful screech, and its partner charged forward, screaming loudly as it bore down on Quistis and Seifer.

Seifer threw his arm out in front of him. "_Fira!" _he cast, and the Propagator exploded into flames. The flames didn't slow it down in the slightest, however, and it continued to charge forward, fire streaming off of its skin. "Fuck!" Seifer cursed.

Quistis brought her hands together in front of her. "_Blizzara!_" Behind her, she could hear Irvine firing at the Propagator, and Zell's ragged breathing as he opted to use to combat skills over his magic. Her spell went off, ice encasing the flaming creature that she and Seifer were facing. With another scream, the ice broke, shattering into a million pieces. And the Propagator was still alive.

Zell dodged one of the clawed legs, hit the ground, rolled, and leapt to his feet in time to deliver a quick roundhouse to his opponent's head. With a sickening crunch the side of the skull gave way, and he nearly lost his foot in it as well. "Oh, gross!" he exclaimed, leaping back as blood – or what appeared to be blood, if blood was black, viscous, and smelled bad – poured from the wound. The Propagator whirled around and reared up on its rear legs, waving its forearms at Zell as it attempted to skewer him on the ends.

There was a brilliant flash of light, and suddenly it felt like there was power coursing through Zell's veins. With a grunt of exertion, he flipped backwards, then charged forward, pummeling into Propagator without hesitation, pushing his limits to the maximum. Each hit broke something, but when he felt the energy of Rinoa's spell wear off, the creature was _still_ alive. Zell fell back, moving beside Irvine and Rinoa, cursing. "Why won't these things die!" he snarled.

Irvine aimed another shot, but all that sounded this time were the clicks of an empty barrel as he pulled the trigger. "I'm out of ammo!"

"And we're silenced!" Quistis cried as the spell their Propagator had just fired washed over them. They stumbled back until they were back-to-back with the others, Cid sticking close. The Propagators, burned, broken, and in pain, screamed again, and moved forward in tandem.

"SEIFER!"

Seifer's head shot up just in time to see a large object go sailing over the head of the Propagator behind him. He reached up and snagged the handle, spinning around and raising it effortlessly. With silent ease he lunged forward, bringing Hyperion's blade down on the creature's neck and pulling the trigger, firing a round of ammunition into the creature at the same time. The blast echoed twice as loud than he remembered as his blade cut into the creature's neck, slicing its head off cleanly. He nearly threw up as the blood poured over him, drenching him in the thick fluid. He pulled off one of his gloves and wiped at his mouth as he stepped back from the creature, eyeing it to make sure it was dead. "I could have done without that." He turned, and raised his eyebrows. "Well, well. If it isn't Puberty Boy."

Squall, who was drenched in just as much of the blood, shot him a withering look as he lowered the Lionheart. "Good to see you, too, Seifer," he said. "Also good to see that your reaction time hasn't lessened…!" He cut himself off as Rinoa threw herself at him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her face against her hair. Squall looked startled, dropping his gunblade as he brought his arms up to wrap around Rinoa tightly.

"Not that I'm not glad for the quick save, Squall," Zell said, staring at him, "but where did you come from?"

Squall motioned behind himself. "There's a hole down there. We brought the Ragnarok right up to it and came off. I heard the fighting, grabbed Hyperion, and ran."

Seifer looked at him begrudgingly. "Okay, even I have to admit that was a good entrance," he said. "But can we get the hell out of here, now? I hope to Hyne you've got some spare clothes on that ship, Leonheart, because this stuff is just nasty. How Rinoa can stand hugging you, I don't know."

"Obviously she's got a pretty high level of tolerance," a clipped voice said from behind Squall, and Seifer looked startled to see Tera and Selphie making their way down the hallway, each of them loaded down with various weapons. Before Seifer could think of something to snap back at Tera, Selphie dropped the weapons she'd been carrying and ran to Irvine, practically jumping on him.

"Ow, ow, ow, arm, arm, arm," Irvine said, reminded everyone that despite the fact that he'd been carrying a gun, he was still injured. But that didn't seem to stop him from wrapping his good arm around Selphie's waist and hugging her tightly.

Seifer looked at Tera. "No hug for me?" he asked.

"Not while you smell like that," Tera replied, crimson eyes shining with amusement. "Here." She pointed at Seifer, then at Squall and Rinoa, and suddenly they were drenched again, this time with water rather than Propagator guts. Then there was a wild gust of wind, and they were perfectly dry.

And everyone started to laugh.

Seifer scowled, trying to tame his now frizzing hair. "Yeah, ha ha," he said. "Funny as a funeral. Can we stop laughing at my hair and get the hell out of here?"

Squall nodded. "We'll regroup at the Ragnarok, then figure out what to do next," he said. "It'll be safer there than here. And wait until you see what we found on our way here."

Zell had gone over to the weapons, and was now busily pulling on his gloves. He tossed Quistis' whip at her, and she caught it deftly, snapping it once to make sure that it wasn't damaged before tucking it back into her waistband. "Wait until you see _who_ we found," Zell said.

"Huh?" Squall looked at him in confusion. Then, for the first time, he seemed to notice Cid. His eyes widened almost comically.

"It looks like we've all got a bit of catching up to do," Quistis said, though for the first time since the City of the Ancients explosion, she seemed to be almost relaxed. There was something about being reunited with the rest of their friends that filled them all with newfound confidence. "Squall's right. We'll regroup on the Ragnarok. Selphie, Zell, can we use its computers to try and get a layout of this Pillar?"

Zell looked at Selphie, who looked thoughtful. Then she nodded. "We can try," she said. "But why?"

"Because we're going to need a map," Quistis replied. "Locked up somewhere in this place is Sephiroth Almasy and Aeris Gainsborough. And we only have a few days to get them out of here, and get them home."


	45. Back on the Ragnarok

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Forty-Five: Back on the Ragnarok**

Irvine threw himself into one of the chairs on the bridge, running his fingers over the long barrel of the Death Penalty. "I can't believe these were here this whole time," he said in amazement, looking at the gun that had belonged to his father. "And the Highwind?"

Tera nodded, leaning against the back of his hair and looking down at him. "Best we can figure is, after the Ragnarok was recovered, our Cid moved what was left of the Highwind into the cargo hold, and the weapons of AVALANCHE along with it."

"I remember the Headmaster commissioning the Ragnarok from Esthar for a time," Squall said. "That must have been when he did this. And it was after we checked the ship from top to bottom, so none of us ever thought to look again."

"What made you look this time?" Irvine asked.

Squall shrugged. "Tera wanted a tour. Selphie wanted to give it."

Tera reached down and yanked lightly on Irvine's ponytail. "Are you going to ask that gun to marry you?" she teased, laughing softly as she watched him caress it.

Irvine scowled at her. "It's a beauty," he said. "It's hard to believe that it's over five hundred years old."

"Well, technically it's not," Quistis said as she walked into the bridge, Seifer trailing behind her. She'd been helping him get the rest of the Propagator guts off of his clothes. "Technically it's only about twenty years old."

"Still," Irvine replied, "for not being used in years it's in amazing condition." But he finally set the gun down. He leaned forward. "How's it coming, Selphie?"

His girlfriend was hunched over a navigational screen, chewing her bottom lip as line after line of type scrolled across it. "Still processing," she said. "There's some sort of interference coming from the Pillar…the Ragnarok's computers are pushing their way through it, but it will take some time before we get a good enough blueprint of the interior." She looked up at Cid, who was standing next to her. "Anything you can think of to speed it up would be great."

Cid held up his hands. "She's still just a blueprint in my time," he said. "And this system's too complex for me. I wouldn't know where to start."

Selphie sighed, and turned her chair to face Squall. "I hate to say it, Squall, but we might be better off just sending a team inside to try and find them. We're running out of time."

"The Pillar's huge," Cid said. "I figured that out just by walking around. It only took me a few minutes before I got completely lost. You'll need some sort of guide just so _you_ don't get turned around."

"Selphie?" Squall asked. "Zell?"

The two of them looked at each other. "We _might_ be able to set up a tracking device through the ship's computer," Zell said. "At least enough so that someone here would be able to follow the direction the search team was going in and give directions back."

"They wouldn't be able to give directions anywhere else, but the computer could track what turns were taken and such," Selphie said in agreement. "And that could help us form a slight schematic to add to the one the Ragnarok is slowly processing."

"We can't send everyone," Quistis said, shaking her head. "It's too risky. And someone has to stay back here with the Ragnarok."

Squall nodded slightly. He leaned against the wall, deep in thought. "Quistis, Seifer, and I will go in," he said. "Seifer will lead."

Seifer looked startled. "Me?" Himself in a team with Quistis and Squall, and in charge?

"Him?" Quistis said at the same time, looking equally stunned.

Squall nodded. "You and Seifer are the most likely ones to be able to find Aeris and Sephiroth," he said. "And for that reason, I think Seifer would be better equipped to lead the way than I would." He looked steadily at Seifer. "Unless, of course, he'd like to argue?"

Seifer smirked. "As tempting as it is, Leonheart, I know when not to look a gift horse in the mouth. I'll lead."

"I'll go, too," Cid said. "I've got the Venus Gospel now."

"No." Squall shook his head. "I don't want you going back in there. No need to give Linra the chance to capture you again."

Cid narrowed his eyes. "Now, wait just a damn minute," he said. "You may be the little leader of this group, but I'm not one of your soldiers."

"My answer is no," Squall repeated. "As long as you're here, in this time, you'll follow my orders. You'll stay here with the others. That's an order."

Cid clenched his jaw.

"Look at it this way," Irvine said. "The less people go in, the easier it will be the sneak around. We're not looking for a fight here, this is a search and rescue operation. More than three people will just get us killed."

"I think we're all overlooking something here," Zell said suddenly. Everyone turned to him. "What's Linra doing right now? I mean, she's got to know we're here. We're sitting in a fucking huge, bright red airship floating next to her Pillar. We _crashed_ a _hole_ into it, for Hyne's sake. We…"

"What did you just say?" Cid demanded, cutting Zell off in mid-rant.

Zell raised an eyebrow. "I just said we're sitting in a fucking huge, bright red airship floating next to…"

"No, after that," Cid said. "What do you know about Hyne?"

"What do you mean, what do we know about Hyne?" Selphie cocked her head to one side. "She's the first Sorceress in recorded history. She started the power line of the Sorceress. She's in all the history books."

"Hyne is Linra's sister," Cid said. "She came to us, to AVALANCHE, to tell us how Jenova had come to this world, and how Linra had, also."

"This world?" Squall frowned. "You mean the Sorceresses _aren't_ from here?"

Cid shook his head. "According to Hyne, they come from an alternate dimension. Jenova somehow found her way into this world. Then Linra came here. She's attempting Time Compression in order to bring Jenova back."

Squall looked at Seifer. "The Headmaster didn't mention anything about Hyne."

Seifer frowned. "Yeah," he said. "I don't remember him ever mentioning her."

"You know…." Rinoa looked uncertain for a moment. "If Linra is from another world…maybe we're looking at this the wrong way. Instead of trying to destroy her in either of our times…what if we just sent her home?"


	46. Understanding Time

**Final Fantasy: Revelations**

**Chapter Forty-Six: Understanding Time**

The moonlight turned the desert sand pale white. The lights of the Gold Saucer in the distance twinkled like stars, though they were too close to the ground to be mistaken for anything other than what they were.

Red walked up to Savannah, who was perched on a rock. "Anything?" he asked, nuzzling her shoulder.

Savannah shook her head. "No," she said with a dejected sigh. "I was so sure Tevrow would come once he got my message. We've always been so close. It makes me wonder what reason Father gave for my leaving the clan so abruptly."

"Perhaps he just didn't get your message," Red suggested.

"No…he would have gotten it," Savannah replied. "I left it in a place only the two of us know about, Nanaki. If he isn't here it's because he either got the message and decided to come, or he didn't get the message at all." She stretched out, resting her head on her paws. "I don't know which idea is more depressing."

Red nuzzled her mane. "Do you want to go back to the others?" They'd borrowed one of Shinra Inc.'s helicopters to get to the Desert area, as the Highwind was still out of commission. Vincent and Catherine had come with them to guard them.

"No…maybe. I don't know." Savannah sighed. "I want to give him more time. But if Father discovers us here…"

"Savannah?"

She let out a yelp and sprang to her feet, whirling around.

It was hard to see him in the darkness at first – his fur was as dark as Savannah's was light. Only the red flame on the end of his tail indicated his position until Red's eyes could adjust. "Tevrow!" Savannah gasped. "You came!"

Her brother moved forward into the moonlight so that they could see him clearly. He touched his muzzle against hers. "Of course I did, imouto," he said. "As soon as I got your message I began to figure out how I would get out here to meet with you."

Relief crossed Savannah's face. "Thank goodness," she said. "I was so worried…"

"I know. I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner," Tevrow said apologetically. "I came as soon as I could. But the security around the Clan has been heightened ever since Father joined forces with the Sorceress."

Red drew in a sharp breath. "The whole Clan knows about the deal he made?" he asked.

Tevrow nodded. "Yes," he replied. "And either they're on his side, or they're against him but too afraid to stand up to him. Maybe if you'd stayed, it would have been different, but as it is the Clan's morale has been decimated."

"And you?" Savannah asked softly. "Are you with Father or against him?"

"Sell the Planet out to some psychotic woman for power?" Tevrow asked. "How can you even ask me that? It goes against everything a Guardian stands for, imouto." He stood up straight – he dwarfed both of them in height. "I'm against my father. If it weren't for the fact that I have my loyalty to my Clan, I would have done the same as the two of you – leave." He shook his head. "But I can't. I can't leave them. Not so long as Father has them under the Sorceress' thumb."

"I understand," Savannah said. "You do what you have to do, Tevrow. We only came here to ask you some questions."

"All right," Tevrow said. "About Time Compression, I presume?"

Savannah nodded. "You're Father's heir, so you would have been the one he would entrust the secrets to. Three of our comrades have been displaced in time, and we don't know how Linra managed to accomplish it."

"In fact, we were a little concerned that Time Compression had already taken place," Red replied.

"If you knew what I know about Time Compression, you wouldn't have that worry," Tevrow said, sitting down. "Trust me. If Time Compression had started, you would know it. It isn't merely a method of time travel. Time Compression is more of the melding of time, until there is only _one_ time."

"What does that mean, exactly?" Red asked. "In and of itself, it doesn't sound ultimately dangerous."

"The compression itself isn't," Tevrow replied. "But if left unchecked, it can have dire consequences. See, the compression melds all time together – all seconds, all minutes, all hours, days, months, years. This results in millions of versions of the exact same people in one place at one time. An impossible occurrence."

"What would happen?" Savannah asked.

"Time would begin to reorganize itself," Tevrow said. "It would begin searching through all the various versions, eradicating them one by one until there was only _one_ version of that person. And then it would do the same to the people that person knew, trying to sort out those people so that they could interact normally with the other person, and so on, and so on…and eventually, everything would destroy itself. It would be pure chaos."

Red and Savannah looked at each other, and shuddered. "Why?" Red wondered. "Why would Linra do this?"

"There is a way to control Time Compression," Tevrow replied. "That's a worst case scenario, what I just told you. That's if Time Compression is left unchecked. But there are supposedly certain people who are born with Time _in _their blood. If the power of someone like that were tapped, Time Compression would be controlled. I believe that it was Linra is seeking to do."

"That still doesn't explain why she sent Sephiroth, Cid, and Aeris to the future," Savannah said.

"I do know this," Tevrow said. "Linra has been in constant communication with her future self. She may be looking for a person with Time in their blood in the future. If she finds this person, she will be able to control Time Compression."

Red's eyes widened. "That's it," he said. "That's the key."

"What?" Savannah asked. "What key?"

"Come on," Red said. "We better get back to the helicopter. I'll explain on the way back to Midgar."

"And you're just going to leave me in the dark?" Tevrow's tail swished in complaint.

"Believe me, Tevrow," Red replied, "you're perhaps better off not know what it is I just figured out." He nuzzled Savannah's neck. "Let's go. We may not have much time."

Savannah nodded. She stepped up to her brother and touched her nose against his. "Stay safe, aniki," she said. "Please."

"You as well," Tevrow said. He lowered his voice, so that only she would hear him. "For yourself, and your cub as well."

Savannah flushed. "How did you know?" she murmured back.

"I'm your brother, I'm supposed to know these things. I'd tell him soon. Now go on." He nipped her ear, then shoved her in Red's direction.

He watched the two Guardians disappear in the darkness, until there was only him on the rock. _Good luck, little sister_.

Catherine pulled the headset off and set it down beside her seat. She shook out her hair, trying to make it less flat. "I hate those things," she grumbled. "They're so uncomfortable."

In the pilot's seat beside her, Vincent made a noncommittal noise, his crimson eyes focused ahead of him, peering through the helicopter's windshield. It was dark, and almost impossible to see anything.

Catherine glanced at him. "Can you see in the dark?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied. "There's nothing out there."

Catherine breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good," she said.

"I thought you would have known that already," Vincent replied. "Given your clan's obsession with Chaos."

Catherine shifted uncomfortably. She'd been trying to avoid bringing up her clan in front of Vincent. They hadn't spoken about it since she'd revealed to him who she was and what she was really doing there. "Every host is different," she said. "You're the first host I've heard of that seems to share this many of Chaos' abilities without having a true symbiotic relationship with him."

"And how many hosts have you heard of?" Vincent glanced at her. He'd asked the question out of his own curiosity – how many other men had there been like him over the years.

"Not…" She hesitated. "Not many. Chaos was sealed away in the book Hojo used for centuries. Before then, he changed hosts only when the previous host died. And since his hosts are made immortal, that could be a very long time. The hosts cannot die from natural causes, such as old age…but I suppose you already know that."

"Given the fact that my birth records indicate I should be sixty years old, I suppose I do," Vincent replied. The two of them fell silent, until finally Vincent's curiosity got the better of him. Again. Damn, he was going to have to work on that.

"Aren't you going to ask me more questions about what I can do?" he asked.

She looked at him, surprised. "Why?" she asked. "I was under the impression you didn't _like_ talking about Chaos. Am I wrong?"

The expression on his face indicated that she wasn't.

"So why should I ask you more questions?" she continued. "What would be the point?"

"You told me that you were sent here to find out more about me," Vincent replied. "And yet you never ask the questions I keep waiting for you to ask."

"Yes," she said simply. "Now are you going to ask me a question?"

"Why?"

Catherine shrugged. "Considering what's at stake, grilling you on your abilities doesn't seem very important. The world is in danger of being destroyed, you're the least of my worries right now."

"And does your clan agree with that?" He looked over at her.

She stared out the helicopter window. "I don't know," she murmured. "I haven't spoken to my contact within the Clan since this all started. I imagine they don't even know if I'm dead or alive."

"You don't sound disappointed."

Catherine let out a short laugh. "Why should I be?" she asked. "I'm only the messenger. I have nothing to do with anything else. I'm merely supposed to observe you and report my findings back to the clan. Then, when they decide the time is right, they will approach you."

"Approach me about what?"

"About…" Catherine's force trailed off, and she narrowed her eyes. "Red and Savannah are back."

Vincent looked forward, seeing the two Guardians racing towards them. He stood up and pulled open the cargo door.

"Get us out of here," Red said as he leapt through the door. "We don't want the Desert clan to discover that we're here, and we don't know if Tevrow was followed or not."

"He said no one from the clan followed him," Savannah said.

"It doesn't have to be from the clan – who knows what Linra has at her disposal."

Catherine didn't need to be told twice. She slid her headset on and immediately set the helicopter into motion, as Vincent yanked the door shut. He jumped into the seat beside her, grabbing the other headset. "Ready?" he asked.

She checked the engine functions, and the rotor blades. "Ready." She grasped the throttle, pulling back on it as the helicopter rose into the air. She released the breath she was holding only once they were up in the air.

"We're clear," Vincent reported, directing the helicopter back towards Neo-Midgar. He scanned the sky out the window, his night vision cutting through the darkness easily. "There's nothing out there."

"Good." Red curled up on the floor of the helicopter, resting his head on his front paws.

"So what did the two of you find out from Savannah's brother?" Catherine asked.

"We found out how to defeat Linra's Time Compression."

Vincent turned in his seat, staring at them. "What?"

"Just what I said," Red replied. "Her Time Compression can be defeated, but we're going to have to act fast." He quickly outlined what Tevrow had said, about finding someone with Time in their blood. "If we can find that person before Linra, we can control Time Compression, rather than her."

"Easier said than done," Catherine said. "That person could be anywhere. Born in any time. If Linra's been in contact with her future self, they're probably not alive at the moment."

"My guess is," Red said, "that this person is exactly where Linra's future self is."

"Which still does us…" Savannah's voice trailed off. "No. It does. Sephiroth, Aeris, and Cid."

"They're our keys," Red said with a nod of his head. "By sending them into the future, Linra may have unwittingly provided us the key to victory. If we can contact them, they can find this person."

"And how," Vincent said, "do we contact them?"

Red's tail twitched. "Time Compression."

Catherine made an adjustment on the control panel. "Nanaki," she said, "you're talking yourself into circles. You're suggesting we attempt Time Compression ourselves?"

"Exactly," Red said.

"One," Catherine said, "none of us have that power. Two. You just told us that Time Compression unchecked could destroy the world. Three. We don't have the person who can control it. So what you're saying is, we use Time Compression to contact our friends, to find that person, to control Time Compression. Your cause and effect is mixed up, Nanaki."

Red looked at Savannah. "What was it Tevrow said? If unchecked, Time Compression would eventually turn around on itself and destroy everything?"

Savannah nodded.

"Then it's simple. We start Time Compression. We contact Sephiroth and the others, and then find the person. And then that person establishes control on Time Compression and sets everything right, before Time Compression can destroy Time itself."

Realization dawned on Vincent. "With that many time frames, it would take Time Compression a certain amount of time to reach instability. You're talking about a finite frame of time to pull this off, Red."

"I am," Red agreed. "If we mess it up, we'll destroy everything. But if we don't, Linra could revive every Sorceress that ever existed in this world. Jenova, and who knows how many others in between."

Savannah shivered. Red leaned over and nuzzled her.

"It all comes down to Time Compression," Catherine said softly. She tightened her grip on the throttle.

"We better get back to Midgar," Vincent said grimly. "Cloud's going to want to know about this."

"Yeah," Catherine murmured. She turned the throttle, adjusting their course.

Vincent's eyes widened. "Look out!" he exclaimed. From out of the clouds, a huge dark mass descended. Vincent only caught a flash of claws and teeth before it latched onto the helicopter. The flying vehicle shuddered, its blades slicing into the creature and snapping from the impact.

"Not again," Savannah gasped, as the helicopter was slowly turned on its end. She dug her claws into the floor, to keep from sliding. "Why does it always have to be in the air!"

There was a metallic snap as Vincent undid his seat belts. "Hang on to something!" he ordered.

Out of the corner of her eye, Catherine noticed that the side of the helicopter was beginning to indent, groaning as the metal bent. "It's trying to crush us!" she gasped.

"I know." Vincent pulled his Death Penalty out of its holster, leaning back in his chair and aiming at the window. The gunshots echoed as he fired three shots, each at the same point. The first weakened the glass, the second shattered it, and the third sailed right into the creature's mouth.

If the bullet did any damage, it wasn't obvious. "Vincent!" Catherine screamed, as several large teeth cut through the metal. Her hand flew to her crossbow, but at the angle she was sitting in she couldn't reach it.

She heard Vincent cocking his gun again. A cry of surprise sounded, and she turned her head.

Vincent's Death Penalty had somehow changed into a very different weapon – larger, longer, and with a single barrel rather than the Penalty's double. Vincent seemed shocked.

"Who cares what gun it is, just shoot it!" Red snarled from behind them. He and Savannah were hanging on for dear life.

Vincent's eyes narrowed. He adjusted his grip, leveled the gun, and fired.

The unexpected kickback from the gun would have caused him to stumble if he'd been standing. The bullet ripped out of the gun, exploding upon impact in the back of the fiend's throat. With a scream, the teeth were gone from the side of the helicopter, and the crumbled machine was sliding out of its mouth.

Catherine barely had a chance to watch the creature rear back and disintegrate, or to take in the fact that it was one bullet that had taken it down. The helicopter, unable to fly with no engine and shattered blades, hung in the air for a second, and then plummeted.

Red gritted his teeth. "Hang onto something," he growled. He bowed his head, craning his neck so that his hairpin was revealed, the set materia glimmering in the metal. With a howl, one of the red stones shone, its light practically blinding them all.

Savannah let out a gasp as the helicopter suddenly jerked. One of her paws was jarred loose, and with a cry she slid down the floor, straight for the open rear of the helicopter, the ground close but nowhere near close enough to survive a fall.

"Savannah!" Red cried. Catherine and Vincent both turned in their seats and grabbed for her, but too late.

Savannah twisted in mid-air, her paw changing into a human hand as she fell. Her fingers closed around a piece of twisted metal sticking out of the side of the helicopter, the jagged metal cutting into her palm, but she held on. Her lower body hung out of the helicopter, she got her other hand onto another piece of the helicopter, and she hung on.

And Bahamut hovered in the air, the helicopter secure in his talons.


End file.
